"According to a new report from the LA Times, 10 former employees of Baca's nonprofit, the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC), allege that she misused funds from a $5 million Mellon Foundation grant in 2021. The funding was specifically to be administered over three years for the expansion of "The Great Wall" mural, a portion of which went on view at Jeffrey Deitch gallery in Los Angeles last Saturday, February 20."
"However, employees whose salaries were partially covered by the grant said Baca asked them to perform personal work for her. The report also highlighted that Baca's salary rose from about $50,000 to between $211,000 and $236,000 in the years after the organization won the grant, though it noted that SPARC was attempting to match the prior salary she earned as a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles."
"Baca and SPARC Board Chair Zojeila Flores vehemently denied all reported allegations of funding misuse to the LA Times. Baca attributed the allegations to disgruntled former employees and said she hoped SPARC could complete the mural "without more of this sort of rage and hostility and anger and hate" by its projected 2028 completion date."
Activist and painter Judy Baca faces allegations from ten former employees of her nonprofit organization, the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC), regarding misuse of a $5 million Mellon Foundation grant awarded in 2021. The grant was designated for a three-year expansion of her renowned half-mile mural "The Great Wall of Los Angeles." Former employees claim Baca directed them to perform personal work despite their salaries being partially funded by the grant. Additionally, Baca's salary increased substantially from approximately $50,000 to between $211,000 and $236,000 following the grant award, though SPARC stated this reflected her prior UCLA professor salary. Baca and SPARC Board Chair Zojeila Flores deny all allegations, attributing them to disgruntled former employees.
Read at Hyperallergic
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