I first want to give my thanks to Deb Klebanoff for serving local artists for as long as she did. While I did not agree with her on a multitude of issues, I will admit she worked hard to try to have a mission for SEAC and she was up against some major players;
Deb Klebanoff, executive director of the Sioux Empire Arts Council since 2002, has resigned. Klebanoff, 55, turned in her resignation Friday and no longer is at the council’s headquarters at the Horse Barn Art Center in Falls Park. She said her departure is something she’s been thinking about “for a long time,” and she’s ready to enjoy time off.
I truly believe that this was Deb’s doing. I think she was finally fed up with all the bullshit. Good for her.
“It’s a huge weight off my shoulders, waking up at night wondering how to get things funded and how to get things moving in a new direction,” she said. “The resignation comes from me. It’s my idea.”
And why do I THINK Deb left? First off the huge conflict of interest that exists on it’s board;
“A new director will have some big shoes to fill,” said David Merhib, president of the council’s board of directors. “Over the last eight years, she has made relentless efforts to strengthen the arts in our region.”
Yes, that’s right kiddies, the board president of SEAC is also the director of the visual arts center at the Pavilion. This of course is not a surprise. Merhib was made aware of the many conflict of interests that exist on his own VAC board and fundraisers like ‘Arts Night’ and chose to do nothing about them. While many times the local media has focused on the financial problems at the Pavilion they often never talk about the management issues in the big purple building. How does a place that can’t even manage itself out of a wet paper bag get off advising other arts groups in our community? It reminds me of the time the Pavilion tried to get the contract for the Orpheum theatre and the city went with SMG instead (who has done a fine job of making the place useful). The Pavilion management needs to worry about one thing; THE PAVILION! and keep their f’ing noses out of other non-profit arts orgs in town. Why? Because they do not view these other organizations as beneficial to our community, they view them as competition, and that is really sad.