Dear Mr. Mosher:

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Studio 23/The Arts Center, please accept our apologies for the cancellation of the "Homeland Security" show by John Douglas. Unfortunately, the Studio 23 Board of Directors was negligent in their roles as managers of the business and affairs of Studio 23/The Arts Center, by giving show approval without the proper visual representation and understanding of the scope of this particular exhibit. Our change in Executive Director at Studio 23 created a gap in communication between staff and Board leading to this misunderstanding and the decision to cancel.

The Board of Directors takes its leadership role and its responbilities for the creative direction of Studio 23/The Arts Center very seriously. Although we understand your concerns and see the need for serious conversation about national and international issues, we do not feel that Studio 23/The Arts Center is the proper venue for these conversations. It is the concensus of the Board that a university setting would be far more advantageous for these discussions. At a university setting, a diverse segment of area residents, as well as your neighbors, could enter into serious dialogues on the war and preparedness in America at levels that Studio 23/The Arts Center could not facilitate.

Although, we understand your disappointment, the Board of Directors also has a fiduciary responsibility to Studio 23/The Arts Center, and must be needful of the wide mix of political views and feelings of our sponsors and members.

Your letter stimulated a great deal of discussion at Board level. This discussion is leading to some valuable considerations at Studio 23/The Arts Center that should prevent an incident like this happening in the future.

Once again, please accept our apologies for the abrupt cancellation of this exhibit.

Sincerely,

Sharron Hetzel
Executive Director l
Studio 23/The Arts Center