The Art Gallery of New South Wales is contemplating higher ticket prices for special exhibitions as it grapples with a severe budget crisis that has already forced the institution to cut 51 positions from its workforce of 380 employees. The 154-year-old gallery is desperately searching for millions of dollars in additional funding to cover its operational costs, with the proposed restructuring expected to save approximately $7.5 million.
Arts Minister John Graham addressed parliament regarding the gallery's financial struggles, stating he would not be comfortable if the institution reduced its opening days to the public. For the first time, Graham indicated he might be open to providing additional government assistance to help the gallery through its current crisis. "I understand [reduced opening days is] not under discussion," Graham told lawmakers during budget estimates.
Gallery Director Maud Page confirmed during parliamentary budget estimates that the institution is actively considering raising entry fees for ticketed exhibitions. However, she categorically ruled out any changes to the gallery's free general admission policy, which allows visitors to access the permanent collection without charge. Currently, visitors to popular exhibitions such as the recent Archibald Prize exhibition and "Yolnu Power: The Art of Yirrkala" are charged $25 each, with ticket prices deliberately kept low to encourage public access.
The gallery has maintained stable ticket prices for approximately three years, and any potential increases would likely take effect after the peak summer exhibition season. Page emphasized that the institution remains committed to keeping exhibitions as accessible as possible while acknowledging the financial pressures facing the organization.
Opposition Coalition assistant arts spokesperson Jacqui Munro criticized the potential price increases, describing them as concerning given the current cost of living crisis affecting many families. "The government's cuts are making the arts less accessible at a time when we need them most," Munro stated, arguing that reduced government funding should not result in higher costs for the public.
Approximately 100 staff members and supporters gathered for a protest rally on Wednesday, demonstrating against the proposed cuts to 10 percent of the gallery's workforce. The Public Service Association has launched a public campaign titled "Art Attack," featuring posters with Arts Minister John Graham's face superimposed on the Mona Lisa to highlight job cuts at both the gallery and Create NSW, as well as funding reductions to regional galleries and the Australian Design Centre.
During Thursday's parliamentary estimate hearing, Graham also indicated that job cuts to the state funding agency Create NSW could potentially be reduced following five weeks of consultations with unions and staff members. He predicted that the agency would ultimately lose a net seven staff members rather than the originally proposed larger cuts.
Graham denied allegations that the Powerhouse Museum was receiving preferential treatment from the government after reports emerged that the museum had received a $10 million boost to its wages budget while the art gallery faced pressure to reduce its workforce. "Is the government favoring the Powerhouse and directing a lot more funds to the Powerhouse? No, that's definitely not the case," he stated emphatically.
Just hours before the budget estimates hearing, the government announced it had at least partially restored funding to several arts organizations that had missed out on four-year funding grants in April. Regional organizations comprised half of the successful applicants in the new two-year funding round, with 31 regional arts and cultural organizations securing a combined investment of $7.5 million over two years. This includes 10 regional art galleries that received a total investment of $1.8 million.
The Australian Design Centre at Darlinghurst, which lost $300,000 annually in the previous funding round, was awarded $150,000 for each of the next two years. However, Executive Director Lisa Cahill expressed concern that the reduced funding still leaves the organization in a precarious position. "While this funding is fantastic, and we are grateful to receive it, it is $150,000 per annum short of what we currently receive and have been receiving for a decade," Cahill said.
The Design Centre, which has operated successfully for 61 years, now faces an uncertain future due to the substantial reduction in funding combined with rising operational costs. Cahill warned that the funding cut, while partially restored, creates ongoing uncertainty that makes long-term planning extremely difficult. "This substantial reduction in funding combined with rising costs over the past decade, and the uncertainty it creates for our future, is unsustainable. It is effectively setting us up to fail," she explained.
The organization will consider its future plans for 2026 and beyond in the coming weeks, with Cahill noting that New South Wales could potentially become the only state without a dedicated craft and design organization. This would leave thousands of makers, designers, and craftspeople without a national platform and prevent audiences across Australia from seeing their work through touring exhibitions that the centre currently facilitates.
