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Show I : : n'" - - . . ,, i j : '-- ) : .V. I "77 - ' . i ' - I "' ,; (F 7 -;- ' : i "yr, I r; TV-.-'-. .. Diane Balaban, new Kimball Art Center director. New Kimball Art Center director emphasizes community involvement by Nan Chalat Diane Balaban officially assumed her new role as director of the Kimball Art Center last Monday, replacing Corke Pepper who stepped down a month early to make the transition easier for the art center staff. Pepper Pep-per will be remaining in town to assist as a consultant throughout December, said Balaban. Pepper, who is credited with saving the Art Center by moving its credit balance into the black for the first time in recent history, was honored with a farewell par- future. "But they are not profound changes; they are general things which I hope will make it more of a community-oriented organization, organiza-tion, Balaban said. "I feel very fortunate to be taking over when the Kimball Kim-ball Art Center is financially stable," she added:' "Corke'0 has been exceptionally good about keeping me aware of everything, which makes for unusually good circumstances circumstan-ces for a new director. "Right away I am determined deter-mined to make the members room into a true members room," Balaban continued. will also be able to handle tickets for the U.S. Film Festival in January. This winter Balaban hopes to revive the docent program in which informed volunteers volun-teers lead guided tours of each r of the exhibits ., throughout, .,, the' t . ,,year,.Ciirf Kalahari wpiild lfte'CwWk7 with some of the local hotels to schedule gallery tours for their guests. Balaban added that the Kimball Art Center will be participating with the Park City Gallery Association in Thursday night gallery walks. The galleries are ty alter last night s general board meeting. The party was hosted by Bill Kimball at Stein Eriksen Lodge. Balaban plans to put several changes into effect immediately and has numerous plans for the It has sort of turned into a combination storage space and staff area instead of a place where KAC members and their guests can sit and visit. There will be coffee and hot cider and we are going to attempt to light a fire in the fireplace. I would even like to see a special rack for our members' coffee cof-fee mugs." Balaban is also planning to hire a night security person to watch over the building during evening classes and to lock up the Art Center when the classes are over. Having a night watchman will make it possible to schedule informal evening gatherings such as an open bridge night, said Balaban. The new director is also planning to install a Park City ticket desk in the Art Center lobby. "I'd like to see the desk carry tickets for all of the performances at the Egyptian Egyp-tian and to any other special events in Park City. The art center will not be taking a commission. It is just meant to be a community service which we would be happy to provide," said Balaban. She is hoping that the desk planning to stay open on Thursday evenings throughout through-out the holiday season, she said, dispeling the myth that Park City shops close up at night. Balaban's ideas for future programs include events for children and a series of special interest daytime seminars on everything from stocks and bonds to astrology. According to Balaban, plans for an addition to the Art Center will be postponed. The addition would have housed a performing arts auditorium and gallery space for a permanent collection. Instead, upcoming up-coming expenditures will be aimed at refurbishing the exterior of the building, installing in-stalling a new sign, purchasing pur-chasing office equipment , ; and doing a thorough cleaning of the existing building. "But we are keeping our expansion options op-tions open," she added. "I'm very excited about the coming year and I can't wait to get started. I hope that people will stop by and tell me what they would like the Art Center to offer," said Balaban. |