Officials hope to find a place for the interactive exhibit at the borough’s New Street site
By Linda Seida, Staff Writer
NEW HOPE — When the James A. Michener Art Museum closes its New Hope satellite Feb. 1, it will leave a valuable departing gift to the town.
”The Artists Among Us” is an interactive exhibit that’s been on display at the Michener in New Hope since 2004.
With little discussion, the Borough Council voted Jan. 14 to accept Michener’s donation of the exhibit.
”We’re delighted to work with the community and delighted they’re going to take the exhibition,” said museum Director and CEO Bruce Katsiff.
Borough Manager John Burke said New Hope would take possession of the exhibit Feb. 9.
”We will store it and try to find a place for it at the New Street site,” Mr. Burke said.
The borough is renovating a former church on New Street into a new municipal center with larger borough offices and new, expanded quarters for the Police Department.
The exhibit stands approximately 18 feet wide and approximately 9 feet high, Mr. Katsiff estimated.
Its focus is on the many different types of artists who have made New Hope and environs their home in the last 100 years or so, including photographers, painters, woodworkers and writers.
The exhibit is a large mosaic of photographs of the artists that also features their words and images of their work. Each panel has three sides, and viewers can turn them to see each side.
More than 125 photos were taken by New Hope photographer Jack Rosen, including those of woodworkers George and Mira Nakashima and composer Stephen Sondheim.
The exhibit was paid for mostly by donations from the community along with some state funding, according to Mr. Katsiff.
”I believe that the development, graphics, fabrication and installation was close to $60,000 to $65,000,” he said. “The fabrication alone was $20,000 or $25,000.”
The museum is closing the 5,000-square-foot satellite because of declining attendance.
”It wasn’t near what it needed to be,” Mr. Katsiff said.
In the year after its November 2003 opening, there were 18,000 visitors, compared to about 10,000 in 2008.
”We were always indebted to the generosity,” Mr. Katsiff of the community’s support. “We made a commitment to make it work. Unfortunately, it didn’t. Because of the current economic climate, I strongly believe we made the right decision.”

