The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) laid off three of five staff members at the Video Data Bank (VDB), a renowned video art distribution organization, on November 12. Former director Tom Colley announced the dismissals of digital collection manager Elise Schierbeek and distribution assistant Nicky Ni, and stated that acquisitions and programming would cease. SAIC cited financial pressures from federal policy changes and enrollment declines, insisting the VDB is not closing but needs adjusted staffing to protect its teaching mission. The VDB, founded in 1976 and approaching its 50th anniversary, holds works by major artists including Nam June Paik, Pipilotti Rist, and Bruce Nauman, and has historically received NEA funding.
The downsizing matters because the Video Data Bank is a unique, globally used resource that distributes video art to museums, libraries, and alternative spaces. Its staff cuts and uncertain future threaten access to a vital archive of moving-image art, drawing condemnation from former directors and the arts community. The situation highlights broader financial strains on arts institutions amid federal policy shifts and declining enrollment, and raises concerns about the preservation and distribution of time-based media art. An artist-led initiative, VDB Forever, has formed to explore a path forward.