When I wrote my two-part screed about art-PR people (here and here), I knew that my broad brush might appear to tar the many professionals—two above all—who have been close to impeccable in their dealings with me over many years.
My top two are: Philippa Polskin of Ruder Finn Arts & Communications, and Betsy Ennis of the Guggenheim Museum.
At the Getty press lunch in NYC today (more on that tomorrow), I discovered that Philippa, always a model of discretion, was furious with me. So let me first reemphasize what I said before: My work would be much harder without those art-PR professionals who tirelessly track down the answers to all my niggling questions, often on tight deadline. And even when they are impediments rather than helps, it’s often not their fault: They’re agents for their higher-ups, who occasionally favor secrecy over transparency.
As for Philippa and Betsy—they are unfailingly tactful, helpful and non-intrusive. And they are superhumanly prompt and patient in tracking down answers to my every question and fulfilling my every request. I can think of other near-paragons, but these two and I go back a long way.
There will always be a love-hate relationship between PR people and journalists, and it works both ways: I’m sure that many communications people regard CultureGrrl as relentless, pushy, irritating, impatient, hypercritical and boorishly blunt.
And that’s on a good day.