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	TBP SPEECH MUSEUMS AND BUSINESS: AN IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP TEXAS ASSOCIATIONS OF MUSEUMS TROPIC DINING ROOM - VILLA INN AMARILLO, TEXAS FEBRUARY 26, 1982

FRIDAY

(LUNCH BEGINS AT 12:15, YOU WILL BEGIN SPEAKING AT APPROXIMATELY 1:00.)

I. I AM HONORED AND PLEASED THAT DAVID TURNER ASKED ME TO SPEAK TODAY.

A. THE FACT THAT A CEO OF A PUBLICLY HELD CORPORATION WAS EVEN ASKED TO TALK TO A GATHERING OF MUSEUM PROFESSIONALS IS A POSITIVE INDICATOR THAT YOU ARE PURSUING A BROADER BASE OF SUPPORT.

1. TOO OFTEN, THOSE OF US IN SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES AND DISCIPLINES ARE GUILTY OF "PREACHING ONLY TO THE CHOIR.

B. LET ME WARN YOU THAT YOU WILL NOT GET A TOTALLY UNBIASED SERMAN TODAY.

1. MESA PETROLEUM CO. HAS LONG BEEN AN ACTIVE SUPPORTER OF MUSEUMS AND THE ARTS INCLUDING THE AMARILLO ART CENTER THE SOUARE HOUSE MUSEUM IN PANHANDLE AND THE PANHANDLE PLAINS MUSEUM IN CANYON.

2. MY WIFE AND I ARE ALSO LONG-TIME COLLECTORS OF ART AND HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN MUSEUM WORK.

C. I WILL, HOWEVER, TRY TO GIVE YOU SOME OBJECTIVE OBSERVATIONS FROM A BUSINESS PROSPECTIVE.

II. I BELIVE THE 1980S WILL PROVIDE THE MOST EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES IN HISTORY FOR MUSEUMS AND THE ARTS.

{STRICKEN TEXT: A. THERE IS AN AWAKENING AMONG AMERICANS FOR A RETURN TO THE BASIC PRECEPTS WHICH MADE OUR NATION GREAT.}

{STRICKEN TEXT: 1. THERE IS A GROWING DESIPE FOR A BETTER OUALITY OF LIFE BASED ON TRADIIONAL VALUES OF FREE ENTERPPISE AND PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY.
A. WE KNOW THIS IS TRUE WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AT MESA}

{STRICKEN TEXT: 2. AMERICANS SEEM TO BE SAYING WE'VE GOTTEN OFF THE TRACK THAT MADE US THE GREATEST NATION IN THE WORLD, IF WE'RE GOING STAY N0. 1. WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR HERITAGE AND REDISCOVER THE PRINCIPLES THAT GOT US HERE."}

B. THIS PROVIDES A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR MUSEUMS TO HELP FILL THIS VOID.

1. THEY PROVIDE A REPOSITORY OF THE VARIOUS ART FORMS WHICH MIRROR OUR HERITAGE—{STRICKEN TEXT: GOOD, BAD, INDIFFERENT} IT'S THERE TO EXAMINE—AND IT IS THE JOB OF MUSEUM PROFESSIONALS TO MAKE IT COME ALIVE.

2. TEXAS MUSEUMS HAVE A PARTICULARLY OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY.
A. ALL HISTORY IS A RESOURCE FROM WHICH TO DRAW WISDOM, THE HISTORY OF TEXAS IS RICH IN THIS COMMODITY BECAUSE OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE LIVED IT. (1) THEY HAVE GIVEN US AN UNSURPASSED LEGACY OF HUMAN VALUES FOUNDED IN THE BASICS OF MORALITY, TRUTH, DUTY, HONOR AND COUNTRY. (A) THESE ARE VALUES FOR SUCCESSFUL LIVING WHICH PEOPLE ARE IN SEARCH OF TODAY AND WHICH YOU AS TEXAS MUSEUM PPOFESSIONALS, ARE IN A POSITION TO PROVIDE.

III. {STRICKEN TEXT: A LOT OF YOU ARE NODDING YOUR HEADS IN AGREEMENT, BUT ARE PROBABLY THINKING, "THAT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD, PICKENS, BUT IT TAKES MONEY TO DO THE JOB."}

[HANDWRITTEN ADDITION: MONEY- 80s CHALLENGE- OPPORTUNITY]

A. TRADITIONALLY, CULTURAL LEADERS HAVE GONE TO THREE SECTORS OF SOCIETY FOR FINANCIAL HELP—GOVERNMENT, INDIVIDUAL, PATRONS AND BUSINESS.

1. GOVERNMENT HAS NEVER PROVIDED THE BULK OF NECESSARY FUNDS.
A. THE RECENT FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS OF COURSE, WILL REDUCE THAT EVEN FURTHER. (1) A LACK OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT IS NOT ALL BAD—IT ENSURES THE NECESSARY CONTINUATION OF COMPLETE ARTISTIC FREEDOM.

2. PRIVATE PATRONS HAVE LONG PROVIDED THE PRIMARY FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ARTS IN TEXAS. HOWEVER, COSTS HAVE INCREASED SO RAPIDLY THAT THEY CAN NO LONGER CARRY THE LOAD.

3. WHICH MEANS THAT THE ONLY OTHER PLACE TO TURN FOR LARGE DOLLARS IS THE BUSINESS SECTOR.

B. TO SUCCESSFULLY ACQUIRE BUSINESS SUPPORT, MUSEUMS AND THE ARTS IN GENERAL MUST CHANGE THEIR IMAGE IN THE EYES OF BUSINESS FROM A SOCIAL OUTLET FOR THE ELITE TO A PRODUCTIVE INGREDIENT IN ECONOMIC GROWTH.

1. INDEED, MANY BUSINESSES ARE RECOGNIZING THEM AS SUCH.
A. IT MUST BE POINTED OUT THAT MUSEUMS AND THE ARTS HELP PROVIDE THE IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE WHICH PEOPLE ARE DEMANDING, AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN STIMULATING NEW GROWTH. (1) THE INFLUX OF NEW PEOPLE TO TEXAS FROM THE NORTHEAST BRINGS PEOPLE WHO DEMAND THE ARTS.
B. FULFILLING CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT IS A KEY LURE FOR CORPORATE EXECUTIVES AND PROFESSIONALS TO RELOCATE. (1) THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY WHERE COMPETITION FOR PROFESSIONALS IS SO GREAT. (2) THE MUSEUMS, SYMPHONY AND OTHER ARTS IN AMARILLO ARE IMPORTANT RECRUITING TOOLS FOR MESA.
C. MUSEUM EXHIBITS HELP GENERATE ADDITIONAL INCOME FOR THE LOCAL ECONOMY—RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, MERCHANTS.
D. AN OBVIOUS BENEFIT OF SUPPORTING THE ARTS IS PUBLIC RELATIONS. (1) THE KING TUT EXHIBIT WAS FUNDED BY EXXON; TEXACO HAS LONG SPONSORED THE METROPOLITAN OPERA BROADCASTS, THESE PROVIDE LEGITIMATE MARKETING ADVANTAGES.

{STRICKEN TEXT: 2. WHEN APPROACHING BUSINESSES FOR SUPPORT, IT IS} ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY TO DO SO ON A PROFESSIONAL, SOUND BUSINESS BASIS.
A. DON'T CALL THE PRESIDENT AND SAY THAT YOU WERE WONDERING IF HIS COMPANY COULD CONTRIBUTE $10,000. (IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.) (1) RATHER WRITE A COMPREHENSIVE LETTER, DETAILING THE PROGRAM IN QUESTION AND ITS PROPOSED BUDGET. (2) DON'T ASK FOR A PERSONAL VISIT UNTIL YOU HAVE MADE YOUR PRESENTATION IN WRITING, THIS WILL SAVE HIM TIME, AND HE WILL APPRECIATE IT. (3) BE SURE TO SHOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR YOURSELF—HOW MUCH OF THE PROPOSED FUNDING IS COMING FROM YOUR OPERATING CAPITAL.
B. SHOW A PLAN FOR ACHIEVING A LONG-TERM FINANCIAL BASE. (1) BUSINESS DOES NOT LIKE YEAR-TO-YEAR, HAND-TO-MOUTH OPERATIONS. (2) YOU WILL RECEIVE A FAR MORE POSITIVE RESPONSE TO A PROPOSED ENDOWMENT FUND THAN TO ANOTHER "PUT-OUT-THE-FIRE" DONATION.

C. EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A GROWING AWARENESS BY BUSINESS OF THE TANGIBLE VALUE IN SUPPORTING MUSEUMS AND THE ARTS, THERE IS ALSO THE ECONOMIC REALITY OF TODAY.

1. BEGINNING WITH ROOSEVELT'S NEW DEAL, AMERICA BEGAN LOOKING MORE AND MORE TO THE GOVERNMENT AS A "PROVIDER."

2. BUT, SOMEONE HAS TO PAY THE BILL EVENTUALLY. CONTINUED DEFICIT SPENDING CAN ONLY GO ON SO LONG, WHETHER BY GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS OR INDIVIDUALS.

3. LARGE GOVERNMENT DEFICITS REOUIRE LARGE GOVERNMENT BORROWINGS WHICH, IN TURN, CAUSES HIGH INTEREST RATES.
A. WE HAVE NOW COME TO THE TIME WHEN "THE BILL IS DUE" AND THERE ARE NO MORE EXTENSIONS.
B. DURING THIS PERIOD OF ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT, CORPORATE PROFITS ARE SMALLER, AND CONTRIBUTIONS MAY DECREASE AS THEY ARE USUALLY BASED ON A PERCENTAGE OF NET PROFITS.

D. HOWEVER, I AM NOT A PESSIMIST AS TO THE EFFECT ON MUSEUMS AND THE ARTS.

1. I BELIEVE THAT DURING THIS TEMPORARY ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN, THE GAP CAN BE FILLED BY REDUCING COSTS THROUGH INCREASED USE OF VOLUNTEERS.

2. AS GOVERNMENT ENCROACHMENT INCREASED, AMERICANS ADOPTED THE "LET SOMEONE ELSE DO IT" ATTITUDE.
A. THE PREVALENT FEELING BECAME, "I WANT THE BENEFITS, BUT I DON'T WANT TO CONTRIBUTE MY TIME OR MONEY."

3. BUT, WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THE COST OF LETTING THE GOVERNMENT DO IT IS FAR TOO HIGH.
A. AMERICANS HAVE STIFFENED TO CONSTANT INCREASES IN FEDERAL TAXES AND ARE NO LONGER WILLING TO TOLERATE THE LOSS OF DOLLARS IN THE BUREAUCPATIC SHUFFLE OF THEIR TAXES UP TO WASHINGTON AND BACK.

E. I BELIEVE WE ARE ON THE VERGE OF A RE-AWAKENING—A RENAISSANCE, IF YOU WILL—TOWARD VOLUNTEERISM.

1. MANY CITIZENS ARE READY TO HEED THE PRESIDENT'S CALL. THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO.

2. BUT, MANY WHO ARE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER DON'T KNOW WHO TO SEE OR WHAT TO DO TO ACTUALLY VOLUNTEER.

3. THAT'S WHERE YOU AS MUSEUM PROFESSIONALS MUST PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE.
A. REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, LET CITIZENS KNOW THAT MUSEUMS AND THE ARTS ARE FOR EVERYONE, NOT JUST THE ELITE, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT YOU NEED THEIR HELP.
B. DON'T WAIT FOR VOLUNTEERS TO COME TO YOU—GO GET THEM!

{STRICKEN TEXT:III}

IV. THE OPPORTUNITIES FAR OUTWEIGH THE NEGATIVES FOR MUSEUMS DURING THE 198Os. THE CHALLENGE IS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE BY BECOMING A MORE VISIBLE, TANGIBLE SET AS TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

A. THANK YOU, AND I WILL BE PLEASED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

[HANDWRITTEN ADDITION: 1) VALUE OF ARTS TO SOCIETY 2) VALUE OF ART TO CORPORATION 3) HOW TO APPROACH CORP. 10% NET INCOME. MESA- 1% OF NET INCOME. 1% OF CUTS + DIRECTION- HOW TO SOLIT PROFESSIONAL + REASSURANCE THAT BUSINESS WILL SUPPORT THEM RESEARCH - 10K- PUBLIC INFO -TAX- % OF PRETAX INCOMING TO TAXES CHALLENGE GRANTS/ PLEDGES * ENDOWMENT GIFTS MESA'S ART]

[HANDWRITTEN ADDITION: A. ENRICHMENT FOR EVERYBODY B. PRESSURING EVERYBODY IN PANHANDLE C. PAINTINGS ARE VALUE TO YOU LUNCHEON AT ART CENTER GOOD DON'T BE AFRAID TO CALL MGT, TELL THEM WHAT THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.]