September 21, 2017 - 5:03 AM
PITTSFIELD, Mass. - The Massachusetts Cultural Council is the latest organization to come out against a Pittsfield museum's plan to sell 40 works of art including two by Norman Rockwell.
An independent analysis by the state agency concludes that the Berkshire Museum is not in dire financial straits as it contends. Museum leadership has said it risks closing within eight years unless it sells the works to raise money to bolster its endowment and refocus its mission.
The Berkshire Eagle (http://bit.ly/2xSPOTf ) reports that the council asks the museum to "take all necessary measures to curtail the sale."
The decision to sell the works has drawn condemnation from national museum groups and local artists, Rockwell's own family, and a review by the state attorney general's office.
The Berkshire Museum's board says the sale will continue.
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Information from: The Berkshire (Mass.) Eagle, http://www.berkshireeagle.com
News from © The Associated Press, 2017