The following is being distributed at the request of The Rooms Corporation:

Chair of the Board of Directors responds to statements made by
former director and clarifies information regarding governance structure of The Rooms

Dr. Priscilla Renouf, chair of the Board of Directors for The Rooms Corporation, today provided further detail regarding the governance structure of The Rooms in response to recent public comments made following the departure of the director of the Provincial Art Gallery Division of The Rooms.

�When members of the board of directors were appointed by government in September 2003, at which time I was appointed chair, we accepted the responsibility for setting the strategic direction for The Rooms to ensure its vision of becoming a cultural facility for all residents of the province,� said Dr. Renouf. �Ultimately, our vision for The Rooms is one where the provincial archives, art gallery and museum work together to preserve, protect and promote our province�s unique cultural identity. In order to achieve this vision, The Rooms must, through excellent programming combined with education and outreach activities, become an institution that is widely known and accessed by our province�s citizens. We aim to be a player on the national and international stage, with our current level of excellence in programming and education to be maintained and enhanced.�

In response to recent comments made by the former director of the Provincial Art Gallery Division, Dr. Renouf reaffirmed that while the provincial art gallery, archives and museum now fall under The Rooms Act, they continue to retain responsibility for their own programming. �At no time has the board of directors or the CEO interfered with the development of programs for the divisions as we strongly support the principle of artistic freedom,� said Dr. Renouf.

Under The Rooms Act, the provincial archives, art gallery and museum are mandated to collect, preserve, present and make available for research the historic artifacts, natural history specimens and archival records that represent and illustrate the significant history, culture and heritage of the province; to conduct research with respect to history, natural history, culture and heritage of the province; to collect and preserve provincial, national and international contemporary and historic art; to advance and promote the works of contemporary visual artists of the province; support the development of cultural industries in the province; strengthen the culture of the province; and provide and enhance client services and partnerships to promote the cultural collections of the province and to show other national and international collections.

Dr. Renouf added that the CEO, Mr. Dean Brinton, has demonstrated his commitment to the board�s vision for The Rooms and that the board fully supports his decisions. �It is simply wrong to suggest that the CEO acts unilaterally,� said Dr. Renouf. �It is important that stakeholders of these divisions, along with the general public, understand that The Rooms is a Crown corporation and that the board of directors and the CEO are responsible for achieving the mandate as set out in this legislation. We are committed to making decisions under the guidance of this legislation set down by the provincial government.�

�Despite public comments to the contrary, the permanent staffing complement within The Rooms - including the Provincial Art Gallery Division which will realize six additional positions for a total of 12 permanent positions - will be higher than prior to the opening,� said Dr. Renouf. �Proposing to add positions to a division which are subsequently not approved does not equate to cuts within the facility. And, we are confident that staffing levels are sufficient for the corporation and its divisions to achieve its goals.�

Key curatorial, education and programming positions continue to remain within their designated divisions.

Dr. Renouf stated that the board encourages and supports communication from the divisional directors as everyone works towards ensuring that The Rooms is a vibrant and dynamic cultural facility for generations to come. �Since the opening of The Rooms, tens of thousands of people have visited the facility. The divisions of The Rooms - the provincial archives, art gallery and museum � will continue to enjoy unprecedented support from a broad public as we continue to reach out with a variety of dynamic public and educational programs.�

A national public search will begin in the very near future for a director for The Rooms� Provincial Art Gallery Division.

Media contact: Deanne Hayward, The Rooms Corporation, (709) 757-8070, 691-5681, deannehayward@gov.nl.ca.

2005 07 27                    4:00 p.m.