Albright-Knox members supportive of expansion

There doesn't seem to be much dispute among Albright-Knox Art Gallery members that an expansion is necessary.

More than 120 members came to the gallery Monday and Tuesday to share their thoughts with each other, as well as gallery leaders about what the AK should look like in the future.

A series of message boards are set up where members could use sticky notes and dots to indicate their preference about expanding or not; using the existing building versus going off-site; as well as what type of amenities should be available.

"I have not yet seen in the meetings anyone suggest that not expanding or not improving the buildings is an option," said Deputy Director Joe Lin-Hall. "It's the how and where that seems to be emerging now."

The process has been intentionally open and broad, he said. While preservation is certainly important to some members, others indicated the AK should have more outreach in the community and should consider building something elsewhere.

"People are discussing one another's ideas and what they value most about the museum," Lin-Hall said. "It's really an opportunity for civic dialogue about the place the museum holds in the cultural landscape of Western New York."

The member meetings were the first step in the AK's planning process for how it will expand to allow more exhibition and programming space than currently available at its historic Elmwood Avenue site. Next will be a series of four community sessions in November and December, with focus groups following in the early winter and spring.

Both follow approval by the board to pursue a campus development plan and an internal institutional assessment. Only about 200 works can currently be displayed at any given time, representing less than three percent of the museum's overall holdings. The remainder are consigned to storage.

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