Editor, The Beacon:

Many thanks to The Beacon for promptly correcting the initial social-media headline that inaccurately suggested the Museum of Art – DeLand is being sold. To clarify: The Museum is not a building. It is a vibrant arts organization that serves tens of thousands of residents and visitors each year through national and international exhibitions, along with a wide array of educational programs.

Since 2009, the Museum has been the sole tenant of the Cultural Arts Center, a building originally designed to house three organizations. Although Stetson University’s performing-arts program has leased the theater side of the facility the past several years, the Museum has remained solely responsible for the building’s upkeep.

The property has been on the market before, and while past interest from potential investors did not result in finalized agreements, we are now moving forward with a viable buyer. Out of respect, we will leave it to them to share their intentions when appropriate.

Over the course of its 75-year history, the Museum has occupied no fewer than six locations. Adaptability has long been one of our strengths — responding to the growing needs of the community, and now to an increasingly challenging economic climate.

The Museum of Art – DeLand not only connects DeLand’s rich history to its future, but it is also an important economic engine. Since 2012, the Museum has directly served nearly 800,000 individuals, along with thousands more through public art projects. Our operations and the expenditures of our audience members contribute an estimated $2.35 million annually in state and local tax revenues and support the equivalent of 74.5 full-time jobs. On average, attendees at nonprofit arts and culture events spend approximately $31.47 per event, excluding admission. When you support any cultural organization — not just the Museum — you support the entire community.

As we consolidate operations into our Downtown location in the historic Miller-Fish Building, we are excited to bring all of our exhibitions and programs into the heart of DeLand — a long-standing goal. We value our strong relationships with the City of DeLand and the local business community and look forward to continuing those collaborations as we enter this next chapter.

Pattie Pardee

DeLand