My City September 2022

MYCOMMUNITY

“My retirement is the end of the chapter for me, but not for the FIA. The FIA’s story has many more chapters yet to be written.”

When he arrived and assessed the situation more thoroughly, signi cant challenges made themselves apparent. For one, the building, built in 1958, needed important and costly upgrades; the school’s studios needed to be brought up to 21st century standards (including the installation of air conditioning and new windows); gaps in the collections needed to be lled and exhibi tions, education programs, community outreach and fundraising e orts all needed a jump-start. “Another thing of greatest con cern to me,” explains Henry, “was the fact that the building was under lease from the Flint School Board and many of our most important art works, including the entire tapestry collection, were under their ownership. Transferring title to the collection was my rst order of business.” Indeed, as soon as the opportunity presented itself to take sole ownership of the museum’s collection, Henry jumped into action, putting the collection in the museum’s hands, then and for the future. He also put monumental e ort into expanding the museum’s physical footprint to better present the FIA’s expansive collection and better establish and equip its art school. “I believe the FIA now has either the second or third largest art museum school in the country,” he says with pride. During Henry’s tenure as director, three new wings were add ed to the facility bringing the total to 19 galleries, three additions to the art school resulting in 15 studios and 5,000 new works of art. With an endowment valued at around $40 million, no debt, hundreds of dedicated volunteers and the most capable profes sional sta he has ever worked with, Henry believes the FIA is set up for a phenomenal future. “ e main thing is to keep mov ing forward,” he explains. “It shouldn’t be too di cult to stay on an even keel; however, there will be great challenges ahead. e arts are fragile (more now than ever) and need all the support they can get. We cannot simply take it for granted that the FIA will always be what it is today. at would be a mistake.” To Henry, Flint’s art and culture are the city’s new backbone and should be more readily embraced by all, including Flint’s leadership. “ e arts make a community a more desirable place to live and visit,” he explains. “Institutions like the FIA, FIM and Sloan are re ections of who we are and what we think is important. Our institutions are essential to Flint’s growth and

JOHN AND JANICE HENRY HAVE TRAVELED THE WORLD IN A LIFE DEDICATED TO THE ARTS. BELOW(L-R) THE HENRY FAMILY INCLUDES JOHN, GRANDDAUGHTER ALEX, JANICE, DAUGHTER MEGAN HENRY ROLF, GRANDDAUGHTER GABBY, SON- IN LAW JEFF ROLF, AND SON JACK.

Continued on pg. 89 

14