Lowered Rating Could Affect Laguna Art Museum Grant

A California Arts Council advisory panel has lowered its ranking of the Laguna Art Museum, where director Charles Desmarais was fired last month. The museum could receive a smaller state grant for fiscal 1994-95 as a result.

The ranking has been dropped from 3+ to 3 (of a possible 4), but the panel still considers the museum’s status to be “good to excellent,” said Scott Wm. Heckes, a program manager for the arts council.

But, he added, panelists are concerned about the firing and its possible effect on the museum’s plans to hire a bilingual outreach coordinator and an assistant curator.

“Those positions are typically hired by a director,” Heckes said Tuesday, “and because there is no director in place, the panel questioned when it is going to happen.”

Heckes also noted that the museum failed to notify the arts council of Desmarais’ firing, but he said that was not a “serious infraction.”

Panel rankings are a factor in determining grant amounts from the arts council. The museum received $12,325 last year and has requested $86,697 this year.

The museum’s acting director, Susan M. Anderson, said Tuesday that an announcement may come this week or next week about the progress toward finding a new director.

At the full board meeting Tuesday night, a preliminary draft of desired qualities of the museum’s next director, such as prior experience and “vision,” was given to board members, who were asked to respond with suggestions by next week.

Search committee chairman Gerald Buck reported that he has asked for proposals from several search firms.

After the meeting, board president Teri Kennady said the museum hopes to select a firm in May.

“Our goal is to have a director by the end of the year,” she said.

The Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana is the only other organization in the county that has applied to the arts council this year for a grant. It asked for $71,800 and, Heckes said, received a rank of 3-.

The arts council will vote on all grant recommendations Sept. 8.