It's been almost two years since the Montclair Arts Council, known as MAC, turned in its final annual report, in December 2010. In that report, MAC noted that since the municipal government had canceled its $80,000 yearly contract, it would be unable to continue.
Though moribund, MAC has maintained its 501(c)3 status, legally remaining a tax-exempt nonprofit organization. That interim, comatose status will soon be over.
At the end of this year, the group will legally cease to exist, unless dedicated volunteers come forward to take over MAC. They would have to run MAC without its former funding, however.
Second Ward Township Councilwoman Robin Schlager brought up MAC during the Township Council meeting on Nov. 20. Her council colleagues, Schlager said, were "pretty unanimous that they could not find money in the budget for it."
Schlager said that she raised MAC's status at the meeting in the hope that someone would want to "come forward in the nick of time. I wish there was funding in our budget.
"I would like to see it revived, but doubt I could get the others to agree," noted Schlager, who said she feels strongly about the arts in Montclair. "They are a big piece of what makes our town so special."
Phoebe Pollinger, a former chair and one of the co-founders of MAC, said that when the group stopped operating two years ago, its members decided to wait to see what would happen with a new council, and keep the initiative alive on paper.
Among its accomplishments, the report states, MAC commissioned $150,000 in public art projects, including a laser-cut metal sculpture by Tom Nussbaum in Edgemont Memorial Park, and mosaics by Anne Oshman on the Crescent Parking Deck. MAC sponsored collaborative projects with Montclair seniors, including the Creative Aging Initiative, as well as with Montclair State University. One of MAC's most significant projects was the website Destination Montclair, which has continued to operate, supervised by municipal Communications Director Katya Wowk. The site, Pollinger said, was originally developed through a grant MAC received from the department of New Jersey Tourism.
MAC's 26-member Board of Trustees included representatives from Montclair State University, the Montclair Art Museum, the Montclair Public Library, the Wellmont Theatre, the Montclair Center Business Improvement District, the Montclair Historical Society, the Montclair Board of Education, and other organizations.
Pollinger said that she had hoped the township would be able to use the 501(c)3 in some way, if not reconstituting the arts council as it was, perhaps to use it for parades or for First Night Montclair.
"We made the offer, and it was declined," she said.
While arts programs are often cut during budget crunches, this is a false economy, according to Pollinger. Many studies, she said, have shown how the arts benefit young people, seniors and the business community by bringing in revenue via taxes, parking fees, restaurants and shopping.
"Historically, you see many examples of communities looking to the arts and to artists to help them revive themselves. Artists come in, take over warehouse spaces and places that need rehabilitation. They bring vibrancy and vitality and commerce."
Then, as a town becomes popular, it becomes to expensive for artists to stay and work there, Pollinger noted. "What you have here in Montclair is really no different."
Luna Stage, said Pollinger, was Montclair's only Equity theatre, in town for 16 years. When the cost of staying in town became prohibitive, "the mayor of West Orange made it his business to make the move attractive," said Pollinger.
Such a group could make recommendations to the council about the arts. "For instance, coming up in the next year, we will have a piece of public art that we will be getting as part of our agreement with the CentroVerde development. We have no idea where to put it."
Montclair does not have a fulltime events coordinator, either, Schlager said. In addition to overseeing the 4th of July Parade and First Night Montclair, an arts committee would be very helpful in coordinating efforts for Montclair as a Super Bowl destination.
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