Following ‘censorship’ charge, town considers closing Town Hall art gallery

SHARON — No decision has been made yet on whether the Town Hall art gallery should be closed down. About 26 people attended a meeting of the Board of Selectmen Jan. 10 to share their opinions. That was a fraction of the number who showed up for a December meeting of the board. For that meeting, about 75 people came to protest what they described as censorship of a collection of political cartoons by Millerton artist Dianne Engleke. Much of Engleke’s work has been published in The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News. Her topics range from local politics and issues to national concerns.Engleke was invited to show her work at the gallery at Town Hall last December. She was halfway through hanging her work on the walls, left for the evening and returned the next day to find that several pieces had been taken down.The artist pulled down the rest of the show and said she did not want the gallery to pick and choose which pieces to display. She said her work was being censored. The charge of censorship was on the agenda for the selectmen’s meeting shortly after the incident. Many Sharon residents and people involved in the arts from the Tri-state area attended and a discussion was held about the need for clearer standards about what is and isn’t allowed at the gallery.As a result of this extended controversy, approximately 75 people attended the December 2011, Board of Selectmen meeting where First Selectman Robert Loucks agreed to apologize to Engleke for the way opposition to some of her artwork was handled.The Lakeville Journal obtained a copy of the letter sent to Engleke. It was signed by Loucks, William Braislin, chairman of the Town Hall Building Committee and Donna Christensen, art coordinator. The letter read, “Dear Ms. Engleke, We are writing to express our sincere regrets for the events of December 7, 2011 regarding the display of your political cartoons at the Sharon Town Hall.“There was never any intent to upset you or the local art community. The displays of local artists, photographers and school children have added much to the Town Hall through the years.“We have learned from this experience and we will be more knowledgeable and professional with the art and photos on display at the Town Hall in the future. We apologize for this unfortunate event and the ill-feelings it has caused.At the Jan. 10 Board of Selectmen meeting, Selectman Meg Szalewicz suggested it might be better if Town Hall hallways were not used as a public art gallery. Szalewicz said this was her opinion only. She said, “Since the incident in December, and my background is in art, I have managed art galleries before, so I am very sympathetic to this issue which came to the table, I would like to recommend the town no longer hang art on the first floor [of Town Hall]. “The reason is we have a Historical Society which has lots of art shows and a library doing the same thing. I don’t think the town, with all the business we have, needs to concern ourselves with art shows. “Having the walls enhanced with visual things is great. The historic photographs that hung there for years are beautiful and appropriate for this building. My personal recommendation is that we eliminate Town Hall as an art gallery.”A number of people at the meeting spoke in opposition to eliminating using Town Hall as an art gallery. Jamie Casey said many town residents come to the Town Hall every six weeks to see new shows that are hung, including children. She said the art shows should remain. Other town residents supported that view. No one expressed opposition to the Town Hall being used as an art gallery.Loucks said, “I think the art enhances the Town Hall and is a great thing.” Selectman John Perotti agreed the art shows are a good thing because they bring people into Town Hall and give them something to talk about.No formal motion was made to close the Town Hall art gallery.

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