March 16, 2015
Mr. Mark Bessire, Director Ms. Jessica May, Chief Curator Portland Museum of Art 7 Congress Street Portland, ME 04101 Dear Mr. Bessire & Ms. May, It was with disappointment that we read the recent announcement that the PMA 2015 Biennial will not include an open call to artists. We consider this major change to be a serious blow to the overall health of Maine art and the 800+ Maine artists who usually enter the biennial. We are not unsympathetic to the challenges that may have contributed to this decision, but we believe it is overly exclusionary and shortsighted. We would very much appreciate an opportunity for the UMVA to discuss this change with you, to learn more about your reasons for coming to this decision, as well as to have the opportunity to discuss your plans for future biennials. We believe that the missions of both of our organizations are similar enough that finding common ground should be quite possible; a meeting to exchange ideas could be beneficial to both groups. We hope you will agree. Please let us know at your earliest convenience when a meeting can be scheduled. Thank you. Sincerely, For the UMVA lease Robert Shetterly, President ir press re ut e th r te f a k abo meet e feedbac equest to v r a a h h s r it e w b mem plied Do UMVA book. um has re e The muse n artists goes out. on on Fac ti se a o s h r c e v e n th o on the c ng? Join that meeti
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