Reader, if you will, start by imagining an art center for Dallas... No that's too small. I mean a BIG all-purpose art center. Got it in your mind? Now take that times 10 and you've got an idea of this art center! That's what this issue is about - a world art center in the center of Dallas called *MUSEAD*. An art center that not only showcases the best of art, but preserves art from the past, and supports art and artists yet to come.
The first thing you notice is the shape. The art center is a ship, a 30's style luxury ocean liner, an ocean liner in dry dock in Dallas (the largest US city that is NOT a port city). How incongruous - at first - an ocean liner sitting on the prairie. One asks, as if interpreting a koan, where is this ship sailing - oceans of the mind? And reader if you ask that, you are on the right track. All aboard!
This ship-shaped art center celebrates every art on earth. Scattered throughout the ship are small and large theaters, cinemas, concert halls, performance halls, meeting rooms, ballrooms, etc. These alternate with quieter spots - libraries of literature, galleries of art, stores, lounges, cafes, radio and TV studios, and more.
But before we begin exploring the 6-12 floors of the ship, let's first look at the grounds around the ship.
Nearing the USS Musead
The ship is on a small pond (may or may not be near the Trinity River, that runs through downtown Dallas. An ideal location would be on the outskirts of the inner city forest of Rochester Park. That way Musead could form a triangle with downtown Dallas and Fair Park, two Dallas jewels).
There is shallow water around 2 sides of the ship. There is a lawn and garden on the other two sides. To insure a quiet and a beautiful environment, no cars are allowed near Musead with 2 exceptions: a handicap access road that allows for a drop off of visitors site, and trucks for supplies or repair.
All the other cars are parked off campus. Visitors (including you) can either walk in or take small electric trains in. The walk-in allows for a quiet no-car time for the people to settle down and get ready for the fun ahead. It also allows some time to appreciate the view - a massive ocean liner, on the horizon, in the heart of the US!
Besides the ship, you will see an extensive garden with such features as a giant outdoor chessboard in the lawn, and actors playing all the game piece parts! Later as you stroll the garden paths you will find an outdoor restaurant, a sculpture garden, wildlife safe spots (butterfly garden, bird baths, food trees, etc.), and many quaint alcoves to sit and enjoy an intimate moment with others.
If today is an outdoor concert day, you will see that the back of the ship has a massive 'cargo door' that when down, can act as a theater stage for plays or concerts. And when it's up, the door can serve as a movie screen for summer movies on the lawn.
You also might see a "Tugboat" in the pond alongside the ship. This is an 'off campus' restaurant/bar that can only be reached from a passageway leading from under the ship to under the Tugboat!
As you near the ship you may see some buskers entertaining for tips. You also might see someone speaking to the crowd as they pass the "Soapbox" stone, a stage for anyone to speak out about anything. There may also be the Musea Marching Band performing
Buying a Ticket
You'll need a ticket to enter, but it won't look like a ticket. It'll be a plastic reusable card. Note here and later how little paper is used. A major policy of Musea will be to reduce waste. The prices are the same for ALL. Note that children 12 and under are not allowed. This is an art resort for adults. I think only teens or older can really appreciate this, and I know other adults will appreciate this policy. Also note there is Dot's Playhouse for kids under 12 - a toy resort that is just made for them.
That leaves teens, adults, and seniors. The price is the same for seniors because they have all the money - haha! And a single price for all makes the ticket buying much more simple. And that's another key policy to Musead - make everything as simple and as uncomplicated for the visitors and staff as possible.
Passes are for a single day, a week, a month, a year, or for those true fans, a forever pass. There may also be a night only pass - I'm still thinking about that. Each pass is color-coded.
When buying your ticket, you may also want to buy a cash card. Actually the cash card and the ticket will be the same plastic card. There is no cash used inside Musea, but you will most likely want cash to spend for extras such as food, souvenirs, mini museums, special events, etc. You have two choices - either use your credit card, or a cash card. You can either put cash on your cash card when you buy your ticket, or inside at the cash card kiosks. That way every transaction anywhere you go in the art center is just a quick swipe of your card. Note any money not used on a cash card is refunded on your way out. And with no money (bills, change, checks, and all that goes with all that), lines go very fast, and your wallet is just a single card! How simple is that? Some wear their card on a chain around their neck, or on a wristband, or clipped to your clothes, or in your pocket or purse. Whatever is best for you. While standing in line for your ticket, did you notice all the employees there - some in costumes, some outrageously friendly, some juggling or clowning around? No matter their behavior, they are all there to answer questions and make the trip fun and worry free. If they can't handle your question they know someone who can. And they'll be glad to show you around too.
Also, because of our strong security, you should feel safe in and around Musead. That is unless you are a troublemaker. The Musead motto is 'get along or get along', meaning that you as a visitor have the responsibility to get along reasonably well with other visitors and our staff, or you must get along to somewhere else. Anyone that is so outrageous that they are spoiling the fun for others for ANY REASON, will be escorted out, get a refund for that day, and most likely banned from ever coming back. Maybe a wall of photos of offenders too? Though the lawyers probably will disavow that!
Let's Go Inside - Finally!
First you turn the revolving door to get inside. Did you know you just helped pay for our power? That revolving door is hooked up to a generator and your muscle power has helped provide energy for all. Musead is powered by people power, thermal power (lines running down through the earth where the temperature is constant), solar power (the sides of the ship are black but they are also solar panels soaking up the sunlight), etc.
And with all that power we can turn on the lights, cameras, and action. Note that there are lots of lights everywhere. It is a very inviting place. Once inside you see the GRAND STAIRCASE. And what a marvel it is. Surely its one of the longest staircases in history. It starts at the bottom entrance of the ship and climbs up the entire length to the main deck. Along the way, besides the wall exhibits, and some beautiful fresh flower arrangements, there are many landings. At each landing in the staircase you may enter one of the floors of the ship. Or you may want to take the staircase to the top, the deck of the ship. Let's go to the top. Then we'll wander back down.
At the top of the stairs you walk onto the deck of the ship. Note the deck chairs, the outside/inside Deck Cafe, and the telescopes along the side to see the view. There may also be wandering musicians walking about, and perhaps someone is there to sketch a likeness of you. For those who like drama, go to the bow, see the Muse Mermaid, or good luck gargoyle, and perhaps lean over the rail to get as close to the front edge of the ship as possible. Also on deck is the hour bell. Every hour one visitor is asked to ring the bell. Volunteer if you like. And finally besides the great view, the casual walkways, and the general hubbub, notice that there are 3 floors above the deck, and on top of them the 4 'smokestacks'.
Top 3 Decks
The ground floor or deck floor has The Grand Ballroom, a giant ballroom that runs the length of the ship. It's the largest room on the ship and can be used for any major theatrical performance, film premiere, big concert, dance, or any other big event. It can also be subdivided into 2 half-as-big rooms with stages at each end. And remember it has the deck cafe there too. It also contains one of the world's largest glitter balls. Note this one's gold, not silver.
Above that floor are two more. These are the exhibit spaces for art. Our policy is to show exact copies of paintings on canvas. This allows for quick changes of exhibits, less security worries, and less damage to the original paintings that are left in safekeeping. It also allows for museums any where in the world to send COPIES of their paintings, and garner fees on those, while safeguarding the originals in their homelands. It also allows any painter to sell copies while holding on to the original.
Room after room will have paintings and sculpture. These may be arranged by era: art of the ancient world, Renaissance art, Western Art before Impressionism, Western art Modern, contemporary, Oriental art, etc. And/or they can be arranged by subject matter - a room of flower paintings, or nudes, or still lifes, or landscapes from all eras. Plus a large area will be for contemporary works. Then too why not specialty rooms of children's art, sci-fi art, collage, Dallas/Texas art, flower paintings, cartoon art, best illustrators, self portraits, surrealism, abstracts, etc. etc.
These quiet top floors have the best views, the quietest rooms, and the best viewing atmosphere for 2D and 3D art.
Above the 3rd floor you'll notice the 4 smokestacks. These are each lookout towers for even more viewing pleasure. Climb up the circular stairs and see the 4 absolutely best views of the surrounding city.
Lower Decks: The Boards
We've toured the main deck, and the galleries above, now lets go below deck. We're heading towards the stern. That holds all the theater stages. They are stacked and packed at the back. And connecting them all - perhaps a floor in the middle - is a huge 'backstage', prop, and costume warehouse. Here all actors can change, prepare, and makeup for their parts. Also here is the storage and workroom for the scenery and props. Radiating out from this central spot are 5 or 6 stages - some huge for pageants, some small and intimate. At any time of the week, there will be at least 3-5 plays going on, plus viewers can also sit in and watch rehearsals of new plays. There is the grand theater for the most popular plays, musicals, or opera. A classics theater for all the great plays of the past. (Hopefully over the first 10 years of Musead's existence, EVERY major play that has been written, will be performed in our classics theater), a contemporary theater, plus numerous smaller ones for any kind of theatrical ensemble performance or duet or one man show, - maybe even a children's puppet theater, who knows! Somewhere each day there will be drama being played out, comedy being slapsticked, songs being projected to the balconies, and new actors strolling the boards and 'breaking their legs'. In other parts of our tour of the ship we will talk about the TV studio. But let's mention now that TV cameras will record every play at some time during its run - and this 'plays on film' repertoire will be a key component of the Musea film company of films, videos, TV programs, etc. Also note that during the day or earlier in the week, the audience can sit in on either rehearsals of upcoming plays, understudies doing their versions, or even an actor's workshop in progress. That way there can be plays going on all day and all through the week with lots of actors having parts, and none of the stars 'played out'! And there will be all kinds of theaters: proscenium, in the round, and even one multi stage room where the set includes the audience seats! The audience sits in chairs that second for parts in certain scenes, and when your part of the show comes up, you may even have lines to read. Ex. the audience makes up the jury in a mystery and the head juror reads the verdict, or the background crowd in a crowd scene. There is no restriction on what kind of theater can be staged in all these theaters.
The Quiet Zone, The Lit. Libraries:
In the middle section of the lower decks (to give some quiet from the performance areas on either ends of the ship) are a number of floors of libraries of literature. The largest is the literary library of classics with a HUGE selection of the world's classic books in fiction and non-fiction. And among these stacks are many displays of rare first editions, lavishly illustrated versions, or scarce limited editions. Display examples might be based on the Musea list of 100 best novels, or the Musea guide to the best poets, or the Musea list of best children's books illustrators. Along with these stacks and displays will be a database of all literature in all languages for researchers.
But let's not stop there. Book lovers never do. There may well be specialty libraries of: sci-fi and bug eyed monsters, mysteries with all their whodunit heroes, comic book classics, pulp fiction magazines with those great covers, zine libraries and a Zine Hall of Fame display, 'dime' novels, an art how-to book library, Caldecott and Newbury award winners plus other children's classics -here the illustrator's art is at its most fanciful; children's series books like Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, history classics, a library of Sacred books from all religions, a poetry room (and a place to read poetry out loud), plus any other genre we might want to display. Note among these stacks there are lots of quiet zones for reading with NO talking 'out-loud', but hot coffee, tea, and snacks encouraged!
Stern Performances:
Most of the performance halls and concert rooms will be towards the stern of the ship, though some may be scattered throughout. These multi-purpose rooms may, like the theater section in the bow, share a backstage floor for all performers - an ultimate green room! Performance spaces will include, but not be limited to, small concert halls for chamber works and piano recitals (the piano room will be decorated with a wall of those composer busts that you get as a reward for practice from your music teacher), art deco decorated lounges for show tunes, jazz, bossa nova; ballrooms for rock, country, soul, and assorted dances; lecture halls for speakers; dance rooms for instruction, rehearsal, and dance recitals; fashion rooms for HouseDallas creations, fashion shows, and displays of fashion sketches / photos; comedy clubs for hecklers to hangout in, a magician's stage to mystify us as we float in mid air, etc. Plus there will be a number of meeting rooms. These are for the Musea groups. And groups will be a big deal at Musead. Anyone can start and host a group of like-minded people, for any reason and meet at Musead. A huge bulletin board near the entrance, shows posts from all the groups and how to join, or how to start up a new one.. Examples off the top of my head could be instruction groups - learn to dance, learn about movies, actors workshops, painting instruction, bookmaking, etc.; clubs such as chess, songwriter's club, pottery maker's club, ship building club: plus special events: book signing parties, lectures from notable artists and personalities, conceptual art events : plus annual meetings: sci-fi conventions, spelling bee championships, Musey awards dinner, etc.
Silver Screens and Celluloid Sections:
Somewhere between, under, or around the other major sections of our art center sailing ship, are the movie theaters. When a movie plays at Musead, it NEVER goes away. It will start in one of the 10 or so main movie theaters. Most of these are geared towards certain genres, BIG movies, musicals, drama, comedies, short films, foreign films, cartoons, documentaries, experimental film and video theaters, etc. (Note each theater is decorated in their own theme and often have glass displays of collectibles at their entrances, filled with autographs, rare posters, photos, etc.). Then after the feature runs its course there, the film goes to the private viewing rooms. These contain 2 -10 seats for the lingering audience that wants to see new films that have played for a while, or classics with limited appeal. And finally the film goes to video where it can be seen in private viewing booths in our video/DVD library. Also note the 'preview walkway', a hallway filled with TVs that play upcoming film previews. And note this policy - MUSEAD always tries to get world premiers of great movies! We figure it should be Dallas first, then NYC and LA!
BreakfastBreak, LunchLounging, DinnerDining and Dessert Delights: There is much, much more to see on our tour of the USS Musead, the ship of art. But I'm hungry, and its time for a break from the sensory onslaught.
And speaking of breaks - you may need a bathroom. Follow the blue arrows on the floor to the Men's room, pink for the roomy ladies room. Also note that just about everywhere you go there are "You are Here" maps" on the walls, Musead TV is telling you of upcoming events for that day, ship guide brochures, Musead staff, and hourly ship tours. (Everyone is welcome to tour on Mondays for free. It seems natural that most people would be nervous about their first visit to anything this big and complicated - where do I go, where do I park, how do I buy a ticket, how do I get around, what's available and when, etc. So a free tour gets you over that first time hesitancy, and once that is done, it's just fun. And once we've showed you around, we'll probably have a new regular visitor.)
Where were we? Oh yeah, getting something to eat. Well there are numerous restaurants, cafes, and even desert carts rolling about. Not all are open all the time, but something is available 24 hours a day. Here's a list of some possible eateries: The Galley Cafeteria is the all purpose, and largest restaurant. It's open for breakfast/lunch/dinner. Its motto is "We may not have that many choices, but what we have is choice!"(Note that we invite local eateries to show off their creations to see how the crowds like them. Then we feature the favorites on a regular basis) Good home cooking abounds here with sandwiches (specialty is hot baked rolls filled with your favorite ham or beef, peanut butter, tuna salad, etc) casseroles, pasta dishes, soups, salads etc. Our favorite is the nutritional 4 section blue plate special: 1 quarter starch, 1 quarter protein, 1 quarter fruit, 1 quarter vegetable of your choice. The next largest food stop is the Texas Cafe that features all Texas specialties: Tex-Mex food, Barbecue, Country Fried Chicken, Chili, Hamburgers, corndogs, etc. to deserts like pecan pie, German Chocolate cake, and don't forget the Dallas invention the Frozen Margarita!
There is also the Deckside Cafe, the Dockside Cafe in the garden, a Chocolate Bar that specializes in all things chocolate (and Musead will have its own chocolate bars!), Dada Coffee House, with their Moon Tea specialty, The Dessert-arama with candy, cakes, cookies, and cream (iced), The Musead Bar that's built on the model of the Cabin Observatory Lounge of the New Mauritania. (Note the Musead policy of a 3-drink maximum. This and other Musead bars, are for fun and relaxation, not for getting drunk. 3 drinks in one setting is plenty for all), plus food carts that circle through the ship and bring snacks to you, and more.
One thing you may have noticed when you were eating, or taking snacks to your favorite movie, library, or event, is that everything that is possible to recycle IS recycled. Cloth napkins, plastic cups, unwrapped snacks on plastic plates, even cloth towels in the restroom. Everywhere we can cut down on paper waste, and instead wash and recycle, we will. Our goal is to reduce the day's trash to one large waste can! And, finally before you leave the restaurants, check out the master chef's daily cooking show.
Every Nook and Cranny The afternoon is ahead and there is lots more to see. And what's ahead are some of the most novel elements of the Musead ship / art center. First note the radio and TV studio. Not only do they tape and record performances from every room in the place, and run an in house channel, updating visitors on the latest schedules on TV's situated throughout the complex; but they develop programs for the Musea TV and radio channels. And you the viewer are welcome to watch them do it, and sometimes participate. Walking about you will often see camera or audio crews taping performances, interviews, or working on art programs. But there is much more than just studios. The little rooms have great diversity. There is a TV room that has TV sets on all 4 walls - a 100 sets show what's playing on 100 TV channels. There is not only a gallery for photos, but a room of 'regulars'. Those are photos that aren't posed art, but just old pictures of families, or workers, or events that by their subject matter are art. This room has numerous bins for you to peruse, plus walls lined with the best examples. There is an Internet room for those who want to go on line. There are 'quiet rooms' where not a sound is heard. The one in the center of the ship is called 'the Eye of the Storm' room. Sit back and rest and think here. Musead has a good security team and you will see that there are security cameras about. You might wonder who's looking at them. Go to the security room and you too can see what the security team is watching on the monitors - everything here is above board, no hidden camera watching. There is a recording studio. If they're not on a remote, you might see them recording some star singing a song for his latest album! There is a mini museum on interior design. There is a fashion show going on every week on some stage. There are collectible mini museums scattered about. These allow any collector to show off his collection of tins, fashions, jazz memorabilia, pedal cars, or any other collectible, in a safe environment for a week or two. He'll not only have the pleasure of sharing his passion but he'll get some money for his time and trouble. There is also a large hallway of display windows that are a mix of collectibles, conceptual art, and displays, all rolled into one.
There is a puzzle room where you can play games with people. There is the Muse Murals room. There is the Mail Room, where mail art is made and displayed. There is an XXX room for adults only that showcases all kinds of erotic art including a 'Pin Up' room. There is the Architectural room that displays drawings and models of both classic and contemporary architecture masterpieces. There is also a virtual booth here that lets you 'walk through the entire Musead through a computer virtual trip! There are conceptual art rooms where an entire room is set up to display a single conceptual art project. Some examples are a room of clocks from the first Tommy short, or 100 typewriters and actors in monkey suits trying to type lines from Shakespeare, or the 'hat room' with a 100 pegs on the walls and a 100 hats pegged for you to try on, or a room full of mirrors as in the finale of the Orson Welles film classic 'Lady from Shanghai'. All these rooms are great for photo ops. And by the way there are free cameras all over Musead. Pick one up and shoot some shots, and we'll add them to our scrapbook. There is a Moon Museum that celebrates all things lunar. See Moon movie idea. There is a 'Bad Art Gallery" that celebrates the very worst art painted. Here tour guides show you how bad art can be, in a celebration of the tasteless. There is a history room, one of the Muses was for history remember. (See the essay, Pentalium) There is a newspaper room that not only prints the latest Muse news, but is a museum to newspapers. And there is the Musea and Musead museum, naturally!
There are secret rooms (and maybe a secret staircase or two) that aren't on any maps. If you can find them you can go there. Matter of fact almost any room in the place is 'on' limits except where it says different on the door. Oh that reminds me have you walked down the circular staircase with mirrors on all sides? There is also the 4-4-$ photo room. You step in a booth, a digital camera takes about 20 shots, you pick your favorites, crop them to suit, and a printer prints them up. There is the LP library and museum where you can peruse the LPs and play any in private listening rooms. Another library for recorded films/TV shows/concerts. There is a library for essays, and a philosophy room. Even a 'freedom of speech room that celebrates that guaranteed freedom. There is a public domain room that celebrates art for all. Also a full wall 'Graffiti chalkboard' and colored chalk to add your own quips. There is a room for reviews and Musead reviewers. Watch them write their latest reviews. Tell them when they go wrong! There is a small all faiths chapel and next to it the Remembrance Room. The chapel is a quiet getaway and a place to hold vigils. And the Remembrance Room is just that. It features displays of those artists that have died recently, with obits, testimonies, memorabilia, etc.
There are staff rooms that include quarters and lounges for the artists, the staff, and offices for the management. Perhaps a whole floor for them. They deserve it. They work hard. Also somewhere in the ship are function rooms for the mechanicals, a Laundromat, a nurses station, etc. There's storage down in the basement. Why not go down there and peruse the boxes - that's OK too. Also did you notice all the walls, floors, and ceilings throughout the complex? Musead commissions artists to decorate the ship room by room, from ceiling murals to rugs under our feet. Lots of artists are put to work - lots of space to show their 'art with craft'. For ex. Many walls have collages of objects behind a wall of glass. Ex. A wall of tins, or marbles, or postcards, or photos of movie stars, or seashells, or... any other idea creative people can think up. As you entered Musead, you may have missed some special rooms and features. At the front main room after you buy a ticket, in a glass case is a model/dollhouse/ of Musead, a bronze plaque listing all who helped build Musead, and a short history behind it. Also near the front is the world art room. The entire floor in this room is a map of the world. It is covered in glass so you can walk across it. Listed on every country are the key art landmarks of that region - museums, sacred buildings, great architecture or monuments, key events in art history, listings of major artists, etc. etc. Also nearby is the 'Long Wall", an art timeline listing all major art events in history. Between the two you can either walk across the earth and visit all the worlds' art or walk a path and see all the world's art history
On Your Way Out It's been a wonderful hectic day filled with every type of art. It's time to leave (though some parts of Musead will be open around the clock if you want to stay longer!).
Before you go check out these things: The souvenir shops (see examples of what's offered below) The art events calendar bulletin board, that lists not only Musead activities but all major Dallas, Texas, National, and World art activities. Take a survey on how you felt about your day's stay at Musead. We want to know, and we'll pay you $5 for doing it. Cash in your cash card. Any money you didn't spend is refunded. Visit the Free Room, filled with free stuff such as promotional posters, over stocked books, flyers, etc. Note the daily journal. Each day the staff secretary writes up what happened that day in Musead. Anyone can research our past in this day-by-day journal. Oh and one of you just might like to spend the night inside Musead (its not haunted yet!) And in the staff level there is a single hotel room for the super art lover or couple, to spend the night. A very special one of a kind treat.
Buying and Selling Musead has a lot of things to sell that you might want to buy. We might even have franchise stores! Here's a list of possibilities of things and services for sale: bookmarks, types of type, a professional magic slate for drawing, map of best English bookstores in the US and world; protest stickers, buttons, patches, stamps; homemade papers, blank books / journals, life-size cardboard cutouts of my famous guitar - Pet Dog Guitar; Musea books, videos, and recordings; posters, comics, games such as 'Players', 'Blab or Zip it' the prisoner game, esp. test cards, Musea building blocks, chess sets, puzzle books, a capped bottle of Dallas Bottled Air - with nothing in it but 100% pure trendiness!, 365 bedtime stories, publisher rooms of books each featuring a single indie publisher like Dover or Fantagraphics. Dallas Monopoly game, Texas Cafe Cookbook, or Texas music anthologies, Beau-tiki, a boutique of original designs, vintage clothes, and hats; LOTS of painting reproductions on canvas (the last mass marketed art?), zines, downloads, Musea Art Guides, Musea Review Service that guarantees a fair review to all (this alone will probably finance the entire art center); specialty 4 sided cards and envelopes, and Art Cards - collectible cards with each one featuring some prominent aspect of art.
Visitors, Artists, and Staff Oh My! (People) Musea will hopefully make a return on its investment. So how will we spend it after basic maintenance? Let's take a look at some ideas. First let's look at visitors. We want to make it pleasant for them. Here's some ways that might help. Have airport greeters to sort out their confusion. Have translators on call for foreign language visitors. Have a "Barter window". Anyone can pay for a ticket with their art or anything that we deem equal to the price of a ticket - why not? Inside we'll have a happiness administrator who's only job is to walk around and give free things to visitors: passes, promo stuff, dessert samples, and perhaps they'll even hide cash here and there for the inquisitive to find. Egg hunts for adults!
The second group of people are the artists that perform or display their work here. Each day's profits, after cost and a percentage for Musead, will be divided up between those artists that performed or displayed or taught or lectured or.... that day. Also we hope to put a LOT of them to work with an in-house Musead orchestra, dance troupe, theater group, comedy team, plus commissions and contests (see below). Also we hope to buy a lot of indie zines, books, and copies of art works. No consignment ever! That's a rip-off. Also note that every Monday is Audition Day, and anyone can audition - or show their art, or if they prefer, send it in. We will be constantly looking for talent and putting that talent to work. We also will invite all art groups to keep in touch and allow us to help promote their work.
The third group of people is the staff. One group's only job will be to walk around and fix problems that the staff are having. Another group's only job will be to tour the place and fix or improve the ship in anyway they can. We will ask that employees have some college education. Once hired it will be extremely difficult to fire them. After the first year it'll take a couple of people to do it, not just one. We will have insurance for all employees and not try to cheat them through the part time loophole, or the intern scam. There will be a worker rep in all major management decisions. Rules will be reduced for all. Bureaucracy and endless paperwork will not be tolerated. The company will NOT be run by accountants. Instead of a huge bureaucracy of penny saving, there will be a loose accounting system that puts all our time in customer relations, thus saving money and reducing staff stress. Those honest, and hard working employees that stay over the years, will get every advantage. There will not be layoffs. The profits after expenses and savings (yes we will actually save money), will be divided by all workers with some of it going into a general employee fund for emergencies. Also some will go to sponsor artists, art, or art projects either here or anywhere in the world. Plus together we will choose any charities that we may want to help. The overall goal of our company will be a reasonable one for all: did the bulk of customers, employees, suppliers, artists, and management have a good day that day? If so then we are a success that day.
Lights Camera Projects! Musea will also use its financial resources to initiate all kinds of art projects. Here is a partial list of possibilities. Set up annual conferences. Examples: English reforms, spelling bee contests, annual look at new Architecture, the Caldecott/Newbury award ceremonies, Nobel prize for literature dinner, concert of Cliburn Piano Contest winners; annual book, zine, and comic convention; best of Texas State Fair exhibit, public domain conference, short film festival, new designer fashion shows (may start with an art exhibit of their sketches, then the best sketches will be turned into clothes), Museys award ceremony, etc. Lots of parties: Mime party where no one can speak, dress up party - one day a month where everyone must dress to the nines; whodunit party, scavenger hunt, and weird hairstyle party. Plus Holiday celebrations for first day of spring, Fourth of July, Halloween, and an open house from Christmas day to New Years Day. Commission artists or groups of artists to decorate every aspect of Musead, with sculptures, murals, doors, rugs, light fixtures, furniture, fashionable employee uniforms, etc. One commission that is a must is for statues of the Dallas symbol of Pegasus. Let's do one in the realism style, and another in a more abstract style. Also we'll pay for special projects such as promoting and hosting a world Art Olympics, working on the art timeline or art history of the world, setting up an online or on TV college for all, translating the best of foreign works into English, designing a stylish wheelchair, setting up a perfume stand to sample fragrances, designing
Comedy/Tragedy logos, produce a DVD that contains a sampling of the worlds great art - and distribute it to all schools that want it., set up Pentalium - a continual world history project, have an all arts quiz show, buy and recycle used classics, set up on line, no ad, art card site, and a no ad phone time/temp. Also set up contests to promote art. Examples : design low cost housing or best multi family housing, illustrate a classic, design a chapel, design the best garden, best mobile contest, best Monster Mash dance contest, best scent painting idea, best child's game, best pictorial representation of all 4 seasons, best conceptual art window display, best anti smoking song, best comedy duo, best melodic music in the classical music style, best 'touch' painting, the Bulwer Lytton contest, best storyteller, best architectural design for a museum, best symphonic score for a classic silent film that needs one, paintings to add to our history painting series - a series that tells the history of earth through pictorial means, CD of best new kids music, DVD of best new actor monologues, etc. etc.
Beyond this Dock Musead will also promote and support art outside of the confines of the ship. Here are some examples:. Remember that tugboat in the water? That little satellite may just be a nice little cafe. We will also get some trucks for art tours. One may have a side that comes down and turns the truck bed into a stage for the Musea Traveling Theater Company. Another may carry a truckload of painting copies, and set up an exhibit anywhere in the country. And maybe we can pay our city taxes with our artists performing for the local schools. Also we'll want to send out an art mobile to collect any books or art you may want to donate, or use it to buy up art and bring it back for display, or just visit different cities and allow anyone to audition for us there in their own backyard. Musead will have a major Internet site. We will probably have an off site factory to make the art we sell, and perhaps we'll have an antique mall of art related businesses. And finally we hope to set up Community Bank Accounts (CBA's) anywhere it will help promote and preserve artists and art.
Waaaay in the Future Waaaaay in the future, all this bigness might even be too little. Three ideas to expand are: 1. Build a second ship and start a fleet of USS Museads. Line them up one next to the next. 2. Take a real ship, convert it to a Musead art ship, and sail it to other parts of the world. Dock it and open it up to visitors 3. Build permanent Museads in other parts of the world.
The END? It is the END of the tour, but it may just be the beginning of the greatest art center on the prairie and in the world - the USS Musead. Thanks for visiting!
Note: some of these ideas were first talked about in our Musea Architecture issue #124, September '03. Check it out for other building ideas. Your comments are welcome.