Detroit Manager Says DIA Should Monetize Art Collection
- October 03, 2013 21:42
Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr said on Thursday that there are ways that the Detroit Institute of Arts could make money from its collection other than outright sales.
He spoke to a Detroit Economic Club luncheon about the DIA and suggested long-term leases of art that the museum owns. He has spoken to DIA leaders about such options.
"I'm deferring to them to save themselves, but if they don't, I'll take them up," Orr told the audience of business, civic and community leaders gathered at MotorCity Casino in Detroit.
Orr said Christie's will continue to appraise the DIA collections in two tiers, to be completed around November. Whether the city will try to sell any artworks to alleviate municipal debts was not mentioned by Orr.
Detroit's debts amount to over $18 billion.
Orr said there are no plans yet to leverage the museum's art.
