A week before the Christmas break, the visual arts sector awoke to the news headlines: ‘National Gallery of Australia chair projects $265 million shortfall over 10 years, jobs could go’ – ABC News and ‘National Gallery of Australia may have to charge entry fees and close two days a week to cut costs’ – The Canberra Times.
It felt both alarming and urgent. But the end-of-year timing allowed little space to digest what this may mean for our primary visual arts institution, or to filter how realistic or hysterical these claims may be.
Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's Senior Contributor, after 12 years in the role as National Visual Arts Editor. She has worked for extended periods in America and Southeast Asia, as gallerist, arts administrator and regional contributing editor for a number of magazines, including Hong Kong based Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. She is an Art Tour leader for the AGNSW Members, and lectures regularly on the state of the arts. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW.
Instagram: fairleygina
