"This will give us recognition as a major center for the visual arts certainly in Florida and, I think, internationally," Miller says. "It's one of the most exciting things that has happened during my career."
Likely the last visual arts institution to join in the fundraising fray, the IRA faces both advantages and disadvantages in the field. Miller hopes to raise $12.5 million with a capital campaign that will begin this fall. Once that mark is reached, the state will kick in a matching grant (standard for projects built on state university campuses), making the $25 million addition possible. With Rosenquist advocating on behalf of the archive, the project may find ready support; on the other hand, fears of a recession have made donors less comfortable parting with money. Miller hopes to complete the project in three to five years, but she isn't making any promises
"Graphicstudio sales have remained strong, so maybe people who make major contributions to arts centers will not be affected [by a recession]. Let's hope that's true," Miller says.
