Planet ofthe Arts vol.gno.5 March 1988 Charles H. Scott Gallery: History. The Charles H. Scott Gallery, named after the first principal of the College when it was known as the Vancouver School of Applied and Decorative Arts, had its proud beginnings when Robin Mayor; principal of the College in 1979, outlined and mandated a plan for a gallery and a curatorial training program with the opening of the new Granville Island campus. The public gallery quickly became a valuable asset to the College and to the community. The gallery meets the standards of a class A facility and with the gallery’s size of 3,500 square feet of viewing space it has an advan- tage over smaller galleries in attracting larger and international shows. The quality of the gallery is augmented by facilities and services such as climate control, security, full-time staffing and preparatory workshops. In a report written to. the principal of the College by Ted Lindberg, who was the Director of the Gallery and the Curatorial Studies Program till the summer of 1986, it was noted that “the gallery has achieved national and international recognition (supported by numer- ous reviews, articles and correspondence which, in the museum-gallery field, are consid- ered extremely hard to come by), and accep- tance as the first-rate galley envisioned in its mandate.” The attendance figures support that claim. In the year 1980-1981, there were 33,899 people in the gallery to see shows such as Milton Avery. Ted Lindberg, incidentally, is now the Director of the Burnaby Art Gallery. Over the years the gallery has been building its’ reputation as a credible mid-level gallery, somewhere between a parallel or alternate gallery and one of the larger museum galleries like the Vancouver Art Gallery. After Lindberg left, Willard Holmes took over the position of Director of the C.H.S. Gallery and the Curatorial Program, strengthening the gallery with his personality and experience. However, his term at the College was brief as he went on leave in March, 1987 to take over the position of Acting Director at the V.A.G. His departure left a gap in the direction and focus of The Board Report A tuition fee increase of 15% was recom- mended to the Board by the Administration of this college at the January meeting of the Board of Directors. If the Board approves this recom- mendation, students enrolled full-time in the 1988/89 school year will be paying tuition fees of $1,030.00. Presently full time students are paying $932.00. The Board will vote on this recommendation at the February Board meeting. The fee increase is intended to get students to help meet the rising costs of keeping this college operating. Other important issues discussed at this meeting concerned reports which examined methods of improving the college’s administra- tive infrastructure. There exist both a Program Advisory Committee and an Academic Re- organization Report which survey existing programs offered at this college. The full effect of these two reports will be known at future board meetings. Another matter that should be of interest to all students and faculty is the fate of the Charles H. Scott Gallery and the curatorial program. With the defection of Willard Holmes to the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1987, the curatorial program has been placed in limbo. The Board will be given a status report by Alan Barkley at the February Board Meeting regarding the gallery and the program. Lastly, the Board formally recognized the statement of co-operation which Simon Fraser University is extending to Emily Carr College. The discussion here dealt with the steps the college should be taking in cultivating a working relationship that would benefit both institutions and protect the college’s interests. The next Board meeting is March 23. Kevin Louis the Curatorial program. The College did not offer the program in the 1987/88 school prospectus and the program has been put on hold indefinitely. A decision regarding the fate of the program should be forthcoming to the Board of Directors in February. Future? Charles H. Scott would turn in his grave if he knew that the gallery which bears his name could stand empty for most of the summer months of 1988 and possibly beyond. After the Nomi Kaplan show (March 25-April 24), the emptiness of the C.H.S. Gallery is, unfortu- nately, a distinct possibility. No programming has been confirmed for the gallery beyond the 1988 Grad Show. Added to this confusion is the fact that the contract of Betty Rumpel, current Administrative Assistant of the gallery, expires at the end of March. There is still no word from the Board of Directors or from the Administra- tion of this College as to the status of this predicament. Betty Rumpel began her temporary appointment in June of 1987 while Willard Holmes was on leave to the V.A.G. When it was known in July of that year that he was not going to return to Emily Carr, Betty stayed to admini- ster the art exhibitions Willard had curated and planned for the gallery. Now, however, she is apprehensive regarding both her own future at the College and that of the C.H.S. Gallery. She notes that with summer fast approaching, and no shows booked for those months, the College will lose the valuable public support it has been steadily building over the years. Approximately 15,00 people visited the gallery last summer. “The value of the public exposure which the gallery brings to the College is inestimable,” she says, “because when visitors see the gallery they also see the College.” Next to the Vancou- ver Art Gallery, the Charles H. Scott Gallery, which attracts approximately 40,000 people per year, has the highest attendance of any other gallery in Vancouver. “Every time the Charles H. Scott Gallery is mentioned in newspaper, radio or art magazines, Emily Carr College is also mentioned.” A higher profile for the College can only serve to strengthen public, and possibly governmental, support. Rumpel feels, understandably, short- changed for the lack of recognition the Gallery receives. She says “...this gallery has a role to play in the College and, to some extent, it has been taken for granted.” The gallery provides the College community with an excellent opportunity to be exposed to a broad range of art — local, national and international — and with the flexibility of the gallery’s hours, stu- dents, staff and faculty have the chance to view these very accessible shows on their own eccentric schedules. Another frequently overlooked benefit of the gallery is that it provides jobs and valuable work experience for students. Presently there are eight students working as part-time monitors in the gallery. The experience they are gaining in this class A gallery setting is beneficial, extending as it does their awareness of the administrative side of the art world. They learn such diverse aspects of gallery management as preparatory research and cataloguing, and professional methods of installing, mounting, and crating; skills not adequately duplicated in a classroom environment. Moreover: photography students are hired through the work-study program to make installation photographs; 3-D students are called on to build props; and Graphic Design students are paid to do typesetting, and to design posters, catalogues, invitations and advertisements. The unique challenges the gallery offers to students is a valuable practical education that is often overlooked. Rumpel’s and the Charles H. Scott Gallery’s terms may be undetermined at this point, but it is hoped an intelligent decision will soon be reached so both may again operate at full capacity for the continued benefit of the College as a whole. Kevin Louis 4 History. ‘The Charles H. Scott Gallary, named after the fist principal of the Collage when it was known as the Vancouver School of Applied and Decorative Arts, had its proud beginnings when Robin Mayor, principal of the Collage in 1979, ‘ulined and mandated a plan for a gallory and. a curatorial training program with the opening of tho new Granville Isiand campus. The public ‘gallory quickly bocame a valuable assot to tho College and to the community. ‘The gallry meets the standards of a ciass ‘Afaciity and with the gallory's size of 3,500 square feet of viewing space it has an advan- tage over smaller galleries in attracting largor and international shows. The qualiy of the ‘gallory is augmented by facies and sorvices such as climate control, security, full-time staffing and preparatory workshops. Inva report witen tothe principal of tho College by Ted Lindberg, who was the Director ‘of the Gallary and the Curatorial Studies Program tl the summer of 1986, it was noted that "the galley has achieved national and international recognition (supported by numer- ‘us reviews, articles and correspondence which, in the museum gallery field, are consid ‘red extremely hard to come by), and accep- tance as the fifs-rate galley envisioned in its attendance figures support that sar 1980-198, thore wore 33,899 ‘poopie inthe gallory to see shows such as Milton Avery. Ted Lindberg, incidentally, is now the Director of the Burnaby Art Gallery. (ver the years the galloy has been buiiing its reputation as a credible mid-level ‘galery, somewhere between a parallel or atornate gallery and one ofthe larger museum, ‘galloros like the Vancouver Art Gallary. After Lindberg lft, Wilard Holmes took over the position of Director of the C.H.S, Gallery and ‘the Curatorial Program, strengthening the gallory with his personality and experience. Howover, his term at the College was briof as hhe went on leave in March, 1987 to take over the position of Acting Director atthe V.A.G. His