Concerns over change in focus at Fleisher

The Fleisher Art Memorial, home of free and low-cost art classes for its South Philadelphia community for more than a century, has been buffeted by criticism in recent months as it modifies both programs and focus.

Some students, primarily long-time devotees of Fleisher's offerings, are concerned that free classes are disappearing, fees are rising, and overall offerings are shrinking.

Change is in the air, they say, and they are unhappy with the portent, which could see the school refashioned from something unique into "a traditional art school," said Richard Lipartito, a former student.

"This isn't necessarily wrong, but it is not what it has traditionally been," he said, citing newly instituted limitations on class sizes, elimination of many free offerings, and imposition of stricter registration requirements that discourage student artists from roaming from class to class.

"You've lost freedom," Lipartito said.

Matthew Braun, who became head of the South Philadelphia school in early 2007, has scheduled what he called a town hall-style meeting at the school, 719 Catharine St., tonight from 5:30 to 7:30 to discuss the changes.

"We are trying to find a way to look at free open enrollment that is more sustainable for Fleisher," Braun said this week. As a result, he said, "We've pressed the temporary pause button to figure out" how to offer those types of programs more efficiently.

"This is not a permanent change. We need time to evaluate."

Fleisher began life in 1898 as the Graphic Sketch Club, started by woolen manufacturer Samuel S. Fleisher as a means to teach art to poor children who lived in the neighborhood of the Fleisher factory.

Since then, Fleisher has expanded its horizons and now annually teaches about 5,000 students of all ages. About 17,000 visitors participate yearly in Fleisher exhibitions and programs, and 300 children a week participate in free Saturday classes.

Fleisher's $2 million annual operating budget is derived in roughly equal portions from endowment income, tuition, and contributions.

"We've really been looking hard at how we use resources," Braun said.

The school has moved from a semester to a trimester system this year, which has added one full menu of classes a year, with attendant tuition and fees. At the same time, more people are able to attend over the course of a year and class size is reduced, Braun said.

"We are providing free class across all ages," he maintained, adding that those classes tend toward the introductory level. The free open- enrollment classes that have been "paused" have not necessarily been eliminated.

"Open enrollment allowed all skill levels to mingle and we are eager to ensure that remains available to people."

A student advisory committee is being formed to ensure student concerns are addressed in administrative decisions, he said.

Painter Diane Burko, a Fleisher board member, said she considered the changes necessary and positive.

"This is a place that really believes in sharing the arts with as broad a community as possible," she said. "A lot of self-study has gone into what's happening."

Burko cited an ongoing effort to make Fleisher more accessible to its immediate neighbors.

"There's never been an effort to go into the Hmong community, the whole Asian community before," she said. "The neighborhood has changed from the time of Samuel Fleisher. It's not Italian and Jewish anymore. Making things more accessible - that's a big plus as far as I'm concerned."

Nevertheless, there is a core group of students who foresee impending loss. They do not argue with broader accessibility or efficient use of resources at Fleisher; their problem is what may give way to achieve those goals.

"I'm always drawn back to Fleisher," said Lipartito, the former student who decided not to return in the face of the changes. "It's the community. The faculty, the students - it's almost like a second home to a lot of people."

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