m hka remains museum smak
The government of Belgium's Flanders region has reversed its controversial plan to close the M HKA contemporary art museum in Antwerp and transfer its collection to the SMAK museum in Ghent. Under a new plan called "M HKA 2.0," the museum will retain its collection, its museum status, and continue its programming, while SMAK will be operated by the regional government.
Glenn Lowry, the influential former director of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, expressed deep concern that non-profit U.S. museums could lose their tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status under the Trump administration. Speaking on the podcast "The Art World: What If…?!" hosted by Charlotte Burns, Lowry warned that the federal government is prepared to exert significant power to achieve its ambitions, potentially revoking the tax exemption that he calls the "magic wand" behind America's robust cultural programming. His comments follow a House bill passed in November that would allow the Treasury Secretary broad powers to revoke non-profit status, though the bill has stalled in the Senate.