Contemporary+Revival

Copyright 2005 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution The Atlanta Journal-Constitution June 26, 2005 Sunday Home Edition SECTION: Arts & Books; Pg. 1L;

LENGTH: 1727 words

HEADLINE: Contemporary's most impressive work: Its revival

BYLINE: CATHERINE FOX

BODY: Three years ago, the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center's finances were in such disarray that board members were bringing in toilet paper for the restrooms, and its popularity was similarly at low ebb.

Today, the 22-year-old institution has made up a $250,000 deficit, balanced its budget and, perhaps more importantly, become relevant again on Atlanta's visual arts scene.

"When I used to go to the museum, it would be empty," notes Joey Orr, an independent curator and former staffer at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia. "That has changed."

A more vital gallery exhibition schedule is producing more foot traffic. Its Artist Survival Skills series is routinely jammed. The Contemporary is increasing its reach by partnering with other arts institutions on programming. And membership has increased from 316 in 2001 to 1,018.

It's a marked comeback, especially given how recently anger still festered over the Contemporary board's 2000 decision to scrap its original name, Nexus Contemporary Art Center. That was a move that many in the city felt disrespected the proud history of an institution that had grown from a grass-roots alternative space to one of Atlanta's premier venues --- before administrative and funding woes tarnished that reputation. Worse, there were whispers that the institution hadn't just lost its name but its soul.

But today, the Contemporary, located in a revamped westside warehouse, seems to have gotten its groove back. Chalk it up to hard work, key leaders, better development and grant-writing efforts, and some lucky breaks.

Finances reined in

Like most arts organizations, the Contemporary struggled during the economic downturn in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. When Missi McMorries took over as acting director after the departure of Sam Gappmayer in March 2002, she discovered that the books were a mess and that the institution had a $250,000 debt.

McMorries did what she could, but Rob Smulian faced a big challenge when he became executive director the following July. He and the board tightened belts. They took the budget down from $671,000 (and a net loss of $134,000) in fiscal year 2002 to a break-even $568,000 this year, and they estimate a break-even budget of $580,000 in 2006.

"I am growing our budget back slowly, to keep it sustainable and the Contemporary debt-free," says Smulian, 48, who came from the Georgia Conservancy, where he was vice president of finance and administration.

Also key to the Contemporary's turnaround is a $150,000 grant from the Kendeda Fund through the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund in 2003 and an anonymous $220,000 gift in 2004 that enabled the Contemporary to retire its debt and build a three-month operating cash reserve. In addition, a $110,000 infrastructure grant from the Warhol Foundation in 2003 paid for an overhaul of its obsolete computer system.

As the Contemporary dug out of its financial hole, development director Deborah Ryan, 33, was freed to go from crisis management to more productive efforts. She started the Avant Garde Society, whose 33 members give $1,000 annually, and worked on rebuilding the Contemporary's relationship with the funding community.

"We were impressed that the Contemporary was trying to grow and reclaim its mission of serving artists," says Nicole Chevalier, program officer for the Tremaine Foundation in Connecticut. Tremaine has given the center $190,000 over several years to underwrite its Artist Survival Skills series.

Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund executive director Lisa Cremin is impressed with the way the Contemporary has confronted its problems and mended fences. In 2003, the fund gave its largest single grant to the Contemporary.

"We believe that the Contemporary is a very important institution," Cremin says.

Smarter exhibitions

The exhibition program has benefited from more stable budgeting and gallery director Helena Reckitt's curatorial perspective. In trying to remedy what she described as a loss of faith in the Contemporary, Reckitt, 41, put her mind to creating a livelier, more accessible roster of exhibitions, one that served visitors and the artist community.

"I wanted to bring work from the outside of Atlanta so that visitors could discover artists they didn't know, and I wanted local artists to feel that it was a place for them, not only to see work but also to show," she says.

She succeeded with exhibitions such as "What Business Are You In?" It included international, national and regional artists in an engaging, often witty take on the muddy relationship between art and business.

"The shows have been tight, smart and well-curated," observes Orr, a 35-year-old Atlanta native. "If that's not in place, the rest doesn't matter."

Having more money (as a result of fund-raising and budgeting reallocation) and a fixed budget made the difference, Reckitt says. "It's important to be able to think ahead, to be in a position to pursue more ambitious ideas, to dream a little."

Wary of the audience's comfort level, she says she shied away from some tougher shows. She put off exhibiting the provocative Holocaust-related work of Savannah artist Alan Schechner, for instance. It's now on the 2006 roster.

But not everyone agrees with Orr. Artist Pandra Williams, 48, says, "The exhibitions are not as broad as I would like. I know they are different institutions, but I prefer Eyedrum [Atlanta's premier alternative space]. It's got a lot of life. The Contemporary is cool and distant."

Reckitt is moving to Toronto in August, but she is leaving the Contemporary with a roster of promising shows, among them "Red Beans and Rice: Asian Artists in the New South," opening Sept. 10.

A national search is under way for a successor.

Artistic outreach

The Artist Survival Skills series has been particularly important in winning back and fostering new constituents.

Smulian says each session attracts as many as 70 people, from a wide demographic and from all around the metro area, adding that the Contemporary has scored 50 memberships from participants alone.

The sessions certainly served Rodney Grainger, 56. After spending 14 years as a stay-at-home dad, the former social worker was just settling into his new identity when he began attending two years ago. He gained friends and peers there as well as information. In fact, when the course was over, his friends wanted to continue meeting. The Contemporary gives them use of its meeting room for their once-a-month discussions.

Grainger now feels part of the Contemporary. "We met with the Tremaine Foundation [which funds the series] to [convey] what we got out of it and what we want," says the Decatur artist. "I even went to a board meeting. And when I got a mention in a review, I got a nice note from Rob."

The personal touch is only one of Smulian's strong points.

Cremin says, "He has an MBA, and he's really smart. He's a mature nonprofits professional."

Nancy Solomon, owner of Solomon Projects gallery, adds, "He is someone with a passion for contemporary art, and he knows the Atlanta art community. Before he came, I doubted the Contemporary's [continued] viability."

Reckitt, the gallery director, tried to make connections by stepping up the number of studio visits.

"I wanted the artists to know that we may not be showing their work this year, or next, but we know who you are, and we are watching your development," she says.

Many artists were impressed by the hiring of Stan Woodard as communications director. An artist who was active at alternative space Eyedrum, Woodard, 44, has "street cred," Eyedrum director Robert Cheatham says.

"Stan has given us traction with a segment of the art community," Smulian says.

Woodard has conceived of events such as an Aug. 27 portfolio review, for which the Contemporary is inviting local curators and gallery owners to talk individually with local artists about their work.

Building audiences

The Contemporary has work to do to attract more of the public as well. Reckitt says she is seeing more student and community groups in the galleries but acknowledges more needs to be done.

More is being done. For example, press materials for "Red Beans and Rice" will be translated into the languages of the included artists --- Japanese, Korean and Mandarin among them. The center will collaborate with Emory University on public programs in conjunction with the exhibit.

The Contemporary also has tried to cross-pollinate audiences by working with other organizations. In May, it co-hosted with Eyedrum an evening of art, music and film. The two institutions signed up 20 joint members that night, but evaluations of its success were mixed. Woodard, who conceived the event, and artist Travis Pack, who is on the Eyedrum board, thought it was a good beginning.

Cheatham, however, was disappointed.

"There weren't very many Contemporary people there," he says. "It was a good step forward, but I don't see a future in it. We're different corporate cultures."

On another front, its relationship with Image Film & Video, which has moved into the Contemporary as a partner, has already produced results. Image has brought in a potentially new audience for the Contemporary in those who come to the center for its workshops.

The two organizations jointly applied to the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund to participate in its Arts Stabilization Toolbox program. The arts fund spent $19,500 on consultants --- first to help the Contemporary and Image explore the possibility of becoming partners, then to figure out how to make it happen, and finally, it underwrote a fund-raising seminar for the staffs and boards of both institutions.

"We are in different disciplines, but we both are about innovation," Image executive director Alison Fussell said. "We both want to go to another level. Everything is a wonderful possibility."

Smulian's optimism extends beyond the new partnership.

"I think we are entering into an exciting time for contemporary art in Atlanta," he says. "The High is allocating more space for contemporary art. MOCA [the Museum of Contemporary Art] is doing great things. The gallery scene seems lively.

"It's a cliche, but I'm a firm believer that a rising tide lifts all ships."

GRAPHIC: JENNI GIRTMAN / Staff Dr. Bill Stiefel (left) and his wife, Marilyn Fish, look at the work of daughter-in-law Caroline Lathan-Stiefel at the "Summer Solos" show at the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center. ; JENNI GIRTMAN / Staff "I am growing our budget back slowly, to keep it sustainable and the Contemporary debt-free," says executive director Rob Smulian, a key figure in the turnaround of the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center. ON VIEW "Summer Solos: Mark Roeder, Katherine Mitchell, Caroline Lathan-Stiefel" Atlanta Contemporary Art Center. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Through Aug. 13. $5; seniors and students. 535 Means St., Atlanta. 404-688-1970, www.thecontemporary.org.

LOAD-DATE: June 26, 2005