Thursday 22 August 2013

DETROIT: The DIA


The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) is credited as having one of the top art collections in the nation. No joke. This is why it's now a hot bed of topic and discussion when it comes to Detroit trying to file for bankruptcy, many people are eyeing up it's collection. Located in Midtown it's seen as one of the key players in the revival of the area and it's a great place to spend a couple of hours, ideally a day. 

The future of the DIA is a little up in the air, Christy's have been asked by Detroit's emergency manager Kevin Orr to value the whole collection. Orr argues he doesn't intend to sell any of the pieces but when it's value at a market value of $2.5 billion Detroit's creditors are eyeing it up. Personally I hope they don't sell anything from the DIA, granted pensions need to be paid, street lights turned back on but selling the DIA collection in the long term will solve nothing. The value of the collection is nothing compared to the $15 billions of debt the city has, plus removing the collection will do nothing to draw people back into the city, by removing a key attraction your removing their dollar spending money not only in the DIA but in the business and other museums around it. 

But that's my somewhat simplistic option on the matter. I'd love to know which side you fall on?

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