BAINBRIDGE ISLAND —
The slow pace of fundraising and construction has delayed the opening of the West Sound's first art museum by at least a year.
The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art had planned to open its
state-of-the-art, $13 million facility on Winslow Way by mid-2012. Now,
the opening date isn't likely until late spring or early summer 2013,
and is contingent on a $2.3 million fundraising push that museum
supporters hope to finish before the summer construction season.
"We were just not making enough (fundraising) progress for it to be
responsible of us to move on to the second phase," said Chris Snow, a
member of the museum's board, which took shape in 2009.
Last year, the nonprofit museum opened an office, classroom and
95-seat auditorium in an Island Gateway commercial building that will
eventually connect with the museum's main exhibition building, which had
its foundation completed early this month. The design for the finished
building calls for a two-story wedge of steel and glass jutting toward
the high-traffic Winslow Way-Highway 305 intersection.
Museum supporters say it will be a landmark building seen by nearly all who visit Winslow by ferry or travel in via the highway.
Totaling 20,000 square feet, the museum will have room for a
permanent contemporary art collection, traveling exhibitions, retail
space and a coffee shop. The permanent collection will specialize in
Bainbridge and Northwest artists.
The museum has raised just over $11 million of its $15.3 million
capital campaign goal. The money raised beyond construction costs will
help pay for the museum's three-person staff and other operating costs.
The $2.3 million that museum supporters hope to raise in the coming
months would boost the board's confidence before it green-lights the
final construction phase.
"We just couldn't keep going with construction and sleep well at
night," said Snow, who is expected to take over as board president this
month.
Fundraising slowed after an initial flurry of dollars from local
donors. The museum is searching for off-island funding from
corporations, private foundations and government granting agencies
before it begins a drive for smaller contributions from individuals and
families.
"Initially, we worked with the founders and board members and the
relationships they have in funding circles," said Greg Robinson, the
museum's executive director. "Now, we're trying to go more broadly."
The museum's biggest success in the broader fundraising arena was obtaining a $502,000 grant from the state last year.
"That helps us leverage other funds," Robinson said. "It's kind of like a ... seal of approval."
A key to drawing dollars from large foundations and corporate donors
is proving the museum has strong local support, Robinson said.
That's part of the reason the museum began offering its 60-person
capacity classroom and auditorium to various cultural and nonprofit
groups for free during the summer. The museum began charging fees for
its facilities during the winter.
Kitsap Regional Library, the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce
and Sustainable Bainbridge have used the auditorium for community
gatherings. The newly formed Winslow Art Center makes regular use of the
classroom for drawing and calligraphy classes.
The neighboring Kids Discovery Museum (KiDiMu) has held a summer camp and musical theater performances in the museum's spaces.
"We've been very, very grateful to them," said Susan Sivitz, KiDiMu's
executive director. "With the extra space, we were able to double the
number of offerings during our summer camp."
The two museums plan to continue their close partnership.
"We're showing we have and deserve broad-based support," said
Robinson, who led La Conner's Museum of Northwest Art for five years
before joining the Bainbridge museum in late 2010.
Snow expects the art museum and Bainbridge public schools to form a
relationship that could include regular student museum visits and art
instruction.
He would like to see more groups make use of the auditorium, which has a theater-quality sound and video system.
"Off-island money (sources) will step forward if they know there's a
positive momentum of support here," Snow said. "But I think we should be
building support from people here on Bainbridge Island on principle
because this is the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art."
While raising money hasn't been as easy as expected, Robinson said
the work required in planning the building played a larger role in
slowing the museum's progress.
"I think during the last year, the organization realized the
complexity of the planning process, and how long it would take to
(develop) the site," he said.
Adding to the complexity was the recent push to have the building
reach gold-level certification in the Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. The initial design, which
incorporated recycled materials, stormwater collection and several other
earth-friendly features, had aimed for a lower silver rating.
An added geothermal mechanical system provided much of the LEED
ratings boost the museum wanted. The system, which was completed this
month, will pull heat from the ground to warm the building, thereby
reducing its dependence on the power grid.
For Robinson, building the museum has encompassed much more than the building itself.
The museum began planning construction and fundraising almost
immediately after a group of island art lovers gathered around the art
museum idea.
"We've been building a whole new organization, not just a building," he said.
