TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute an agreement for the transfer of the Long Beach Museum of Art Video Archive from the City of Long Beach to the J. Paul Getty Trust. (District 3)
DISCUSSION
The Long Beach Museum of Art Video Archive (Collection) is the largest and most significant public collection of artist videotapes in the western United States. Comprising over 3,000 tapes, the Collection features seminal works by many of the leading artists in the field. The Collection also includes compilation tapes documenting video exhibitions at the Long Beach Museum of Art (Museum) from 1974 to 1999 and documentary tapes recording significant moments in the history of video art. The Collection also contains the video collection of the Los Angeles Women's Building.
Since starting the collection in 1974, the Museum has faced the challenge of long-term conservation, while making the Collection available for viewing by the public.
Preservation of the Collection is also challenging due to the natural deterioration of the images on the videotapes with each use and, in many instances, the existence of only one copy of the original videotape. Additionally, funding for the Museum Video Program has virtually disappeared due to the elimination of production support at the National Endowment for the Arts and the California Arts Council, as well as adjustment of priorities at the Rockefeller and MacArthur Foundations. As such, the Museum lacks the resources and staffing to undertake the long-term conservation and preservation of the Collection.
In early 2005, conversations occurred between the Museum and the J. Paul Getty Trust (Trust) regarding a partnership to safeguard the Collection and assure its preservation in perpetuity. A transfer of the Collection to the Trust would allow for the engagement of specialists in new media to determine optimal formats and conservation technologies.
Videotapes could be duplicated into digital format for viewing, thus eliminating further damage to the original videotapes. Finally, the Collection could be made available to
the larger community through exhibitions at The Getty Center and inclusion in announcements and publications.
The proposed Agreement with the Trust would contain the following major terms and provisions:
. Transferor: City of Long Beach and the Long Beach Museum of Art Foundation
. Transferee: J. Paul Getty Trust
. Property: The complete Long Beach Museum of Art Video Archive as of August 2005, as well as documentation of the archive, video exhibitions and programs held at the Long Beach Museum of Art.
. Consideration: As consideration for the transfer of the Property, the City shall receive the following:
. Transportation, inventory, cataloging, and conservation of the Property; . A digital copy of any video that the Trust reformats from the Property; . An equal share in any profits generated by the Trust as a result of the commercial use of the Property.
. Deaccession: The City shall have first right of refusal if the Trust decides to deaccession any or all of the Property. If the City does not accept the Property, the Museum shall have second right of refusal. If the Museum does not accept the Property, the Trust shall be free to dispose of the Property.
. Credit: The Trust will include the following credit in connection with the Property:
"Long Beach Museum of Art Video Archive, Research Library at the Getty Research Institute. Transferred by the Long Beach Museum of Art Foundation and the City of Long Beach, 2005."
This letter was reviewed by Senior Deputy City Attorney Donna F. Gwin on November 15, 2005 and Budget Management Officer David Wodynski on November 17, 2005.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on December 13, 2005 in order to facilitate the target transfer date of January 1, 2006.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
PATRICK H. WEST
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT