SAIC Layoffs Threaten Future of pioneering video Data Bank
A wave of layoffs at the School of the Art Institute of chicago (SAIC) has sparked concerns about the future of the Video Data Bank, a nationally recognized archive and distributor of video art. The institution confirmed last week that 20 employees were let go, citing financial pressures linked to declining enrollment.The cuts are expected to hamper the institution’s ability to operate. According to a representative of the American Federation of State, County, and municipal Employees union, which represents workers at SAIC, six union positions were eliminated in the reductions. SAIC declined to provide specifics on the remaining 15 layoffs.
The staff reductions reflect a broader trend impacting higher education nationwide. Universities are grappling with an enrollment slump, partially attributed to a decrease in international students-a demographic that has seen a 17% decline this fall due to uncertainties surrounding student visas, according to recent surveys.
“Like many colleges, SAIC is facing financial pressures due to changes in federal policy and their effects on enrollment,” a spokesperson for the institution stated. “We have taken several actions to reduce spending,including the elimination of a limited number of staff roles throughout the college in order to better center the academic mission.”
While SAIC has not disclosed overall staffing numbers, the cuts represent less than 5% of the total workforce. The Art institute of Chicago, which encompasses both its museum and school, collectively employs over 3,500 individuals, according to recent tax filings.
Tom Colley, who served as the Video Data Bank’s director since 2022, confirmed his position was among those eliminated, leaving only two staff members remaining.The impact of these cuts is already being felt within the art community. A letter circulated among scholars, artists, and curators on November 17 described the layoffs as a “functional dismantling” of the Video Data Bank as it has existed for nearly 50 years.
Founded in 1976,the Video Data Bank has long been a vital resource,distributing contemporary video works to cultural institutions,libraries,and academic institutions. Its collection boasts works by over 600 artists, including prominent figures like Dara Birnbaum, Paul Chan, Coco Fusco, and Joan Jonas.The organization completed a notable digitization project of its analog tape collection in 2016.Recently, the Video Data Bank facilitated the distribution of Glenn Belverio’s 1996 video, “One Man Ladies,” to MoMA PS1 for artist Vaginal Davis’s exhibition, Majestic Product.
Despite the cuts, a spokesperson for SAIC asserted the institution “remains committed to the Video Data Bank and the value it provides to artists, other colleges and researchers, and the field.”
“The Video Data Bank is not going away; however,to maintain and distribute its collection,we needed to adjust staffing levels,” the spokesperson continued.”This was a challenging but necessary decision that allows us to protect our core teaching mission and preserve the future of the Video data Bank.”
Kate horsfield, the retired founding director of the Video Data Bank, emphasized the organization’s unique role in the art world. “It was the biggest provider of video art to other institutions,” she stated, noting its reach extended to “every university and college that has a film video program.” Under her leadership, the program received considerable funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).SAIC has yet to respond to inquiries regarding whether recent NEA funding cuts influenced the decision to reduce staff.
Horsfield also highlighted the Video Data Bank’s importance for emerging artists. “It’s going to have a large impact…on all the individual artists who need a form of distribution of their work,” she explained. “Artists cannot do this on their own; they need to be doing their own work, and they need an organization that can represent them very broadly in museums, and in cultural and educational institutions.” The future of that representation, and the legacy of nearly five decades of video art preservation, now hangs in the balance.
