Comprehension: Detroit's World-Class Art Collection Threatened By Bankruptcy

Following Detroit's declaration of bankruptcy, its emergency manager said some of the Detroit Institute of Arts' world-class collection may have to be sold. 

Watch the video and answer the questions below.  Decide if the statements are True or False.

1. The Detroit Institute of Art has a small subsidy from the city.
a. True
b. False

2. The Detroit Institute of Art has a huge collection of 20th century art.
a. True
b. False

3. A majority of Detroiters want to sell the art to raise funds.
a. True
b. False

For transcript and answers see below.

Transcript and Answers:

These enormous murals are at the heart of the Detroit Institute of Arts.  Painted by Diego Rivera in the 1930s, they capture the energy and drive of the industry that had made the city great.  Eighty years on, public access to this artwork, and to the rest of the museum’s collection, is threatened by Detroit’s bankruptcy.

The city’s emergency manager has ordered thousands of pictures bought with city money to be valued.  Selling them could raise billions of dollars to help pay off Detroit’s debts.  Gallery officials argue the non-profit that runs the Institute is already saving the city money:

“We don’t use city dollars for anything. We get city water and lights and we pay them for those, so the city really does not pay for this institution at all at this point, which means we keep this institution open for the city of Detroit, and we save them 31 million dollars a year, which is our annual operating budget.”

Fuelled by donations first from local press barons, then from car industry magnates, the museum has built a world-class collection. Highlights include a rare work by Flemish master Bruegel the Elder; the first paintings by both Vincent van Gogh and Henri Matisse ever to be purchased by a US public gallery; and a virtual who’s who when it comes to 20th century art.

One key move that’s kept the gallery afloat more recently is a property tax to support it that residents of three nearby counties agreed to pay. But if some of the art is auctioned, that revenue stream could also be threatened:

“Two of those counties have said if we sell art they will stop the property tax. That represents about two-thirds of our annual operating budget. If they stop that tax, we will be sent into a death spiral.”

Detroit’s creditors argue the art is an asset which should be sold to raise funds for more practical purposes, such as funding city workers’ pensions. At City Hall recently, some of those whose pensions could be affected by the bankruptcy were still keen to safeguard the gallery.

“It’s a great place; Detroit needs to keep it if they can. I’m not in favour of liquidating the assets.”

“I think they should protect our art. Leave it alone. Mess with something else.”

A survey carried out by a local newspaper found 78% of Detroiters feel the same but with the fate of the gallery undecided, supporters of a sale,- who say they want to put people before Picassos’, may yet win the argument.

Answers:

1. b
2. a
3. b

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