State spending cuts worry museum group

A proposal to eliminate state funding for the Illinois Association of Museums could mean "devastating consequences" for more than 500 museums, arboreta and historical societies across Illinois, the association's president warned Thursday.

But state officials say it's time the organization, which largely serves private operations, should transition into the private sector rather than rely on tax dollars, as it's done for years.

At issue is a relatively small sum of money -- about $50,000 -- historically used to provide the museum association a full-time employee through the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Under the proposed fiscal 2009 budget, that funding would be cut, leaving the association with no one other than volunteers to coordinate services and programs for museums state-wide.

"We all think this is a critical mistake," association president Dave Oberg told members of the Kane DuPage Regional Museum Association at a meeting in St. Charles Thursday. "We'll survive one way or another but, with no paid staff, it's going to be hard to do some of the things we've been doing."

More than 500 organizations, including Chicago's Field Museum and Lisle's Morton Arboretum, pay membership dues to the association each year. In return, the association offers professional development programs, conferences, awards and other services that can help museums, particularly smaller ones, with the guidance and networking they need to thrive, Oberg said.

State funding aside, the association operates on roughly $60,000 a year in donations, grant monies and membership dues, records show.

David Blanchette, communications manager for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, said the association is a "great organization with very dedicated membership," but the majority of its members are privately controlled organizations and should therefore support themselves. He added that his office has supported the association for years and still plans to offer "some level" of temporary assistance if the proposal wins lawmaker support.

"We're big believers in IAM," Blanchette said. "It just more appropriately belongs in the private sector because it does support things in the private sector."

Richard Sklenar, executive director of Elmhurst's Theatre Historical Society of America, sees it differently. His organization is hosting the association's annual conference in September and Sklenar expects it to draw some 200 people who will sleep, eat and shop in his community.

"That's part of the revenue stream the IAM generates," he said. "It's an economic engine and it shouldn't be disregarded."

The association is asking citizens and community leaders who have benefited in one way or another from local museums to lobby their representatives to restore funding.

"There is hope," said Oberg, who also is executive director of the Geneva History Center. "But it's going to take the efforts of everybody to make it happen."