The Art Institute of Chicago wants diversity in its volunteer program: What they did to get there caused controversy

The backlash is so severe that the museum has had to increase security.

(Dylan LaPierre/Unsplash)

“The violent, weaponizing language an overwhelming number of people are using in letters and emails to describe the museum’s evolution has been startling, and if I’m being honest, scary,” said Veronica Stein, the executive director of learning and public engagement for the museum’s Woman’s Board in an interview with The New York Times.

“As a result, the museum now has increased security. Our frontline staff have already experienced erratic and harmful behavior. Our goal now is getting the facts out and keeping our staff safe.”

What caused the backlash?

The Wall Street Journal reported the museum sent a letter on September 3rd to its active members in the docent program. Docents are trained volunteers who lead tours, including school groups. The museum's docent program was founded in 1961 with the collaboration of the Junior League of Chicago and the Woman's Board.

The letter informed the volunteers the old program was being discontinued so the museum could create a more diverse program, “in a way that allows community members of all income levels to participate, responds to issues of class and income equity, and does not require financial flexibility to participate.”

The volunteers, unsurprisingly, were disappointed. Dietrich Klevorn, a docent since 2012, told the Wall Street Journal, "It was nearly a full-time job. We had to spend a lot of time physically in the museum studying works of art, researching, putting tours together."

The Art Institute has entered the culture wars

Conservative media outlets have condemned the museum's actions. Even the Chicago Tribune published an editorial objecting to the move, titled, “Shame on the Art Institute for summarily canning its volunteer docents.”

According to the editorial, "the museum had looked critically at its corps of docents, a group dominated by mostly (but not entirely) white, retired women with some time to spare, and found them wanting as a demographic."

The museum responds to the criticism

The museum has defended itself, stating in an Op-Ed also published in the Chicago Tribune, "Critical self-reflection and participatory, recuperative action is required if we are to remain relevant to the changing audiences seeking connection to art."

James Rondeau, the Institute’s director, told The New York Times the current program is unsustainable and they had stopped adding new volunteers 12 years ago.

The new plan is to hire paid educators over the next several years, and the current volunteer docents are invited to apply.

A spokesperson for the institute told Fox News, "We’re simply pausing a volunteer educator program and would never want to diminish the contributions they have made. This should not be the roots of a culture war."

Docents hope to return

But the docents hope the museum has a change of heart. Gigi Vaffis, the docent council president told The New York Times, “I wish the museum had recognized what we bring to the table. I wish they would reconsider and bring us back.”

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