The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) is set to make significant cuts to its staff and programming as revenue hits a 15-year low. The gallery will reduce about 30 percent of its expenses and workforce, impacting all departments. “Every single department is being impacted,” co-interim chief executive officer Eva Respini said.
“We will leave no stone unturned in the search for savings.”
Voluntary departure packages were offered to staff last week, with layoff notices to be issued on Monday. The exact number of layoffs remains uncertain until it’s clear how many employees take the incentivized buyout. Before these measures, the gallery employed 129 full-time staff members, both union and non-union.
The gallery faces a general operating deficit of $2.85 million for 2023-2024 and cumulative deficiencies of $32.1 million, including costs related to a new building project. Although plans for the new facility are continuing, operations at the current gallery will be severely affected. The library and archives will close indefinitely starting this summer.
Significant staff and program cuts
Travelling exhibitions are on hold, and plans to host a large Indigenous show from New York this fall have been canceled. The VAG will instead rely on its own collection for temporary exhibitions, which will run longer.
Special programs, such as performances and film screenings, will be scaled back. Despite the cuts, the leadership team at VAG is pressing forward with the capital project for a new gallery, a significant “city-building project” that includes a downtown land gift from the city, federal and provincial funding, and support from philanthropist Michael Audain. When asked whether the financial challenges of the new building project have exacerbated the gallery’s overall financial situation, board chair Jon Stovell said capital and operational budgets are separate.
He acknowledged some increased costs from the building project but emphasized that the timing of the financial issues is almost coincidental. Gallery leaders acknowledge the severity of the cuts but stress their commitment to being fiscally responsible during uncertain times. They see this as an opportunity to lean into the gallery’s collection, offering a distinctly Canadian and British Columbian experience while staying true to the gallery’s mission.
“It is both a fraught and exciting moment,” said Rao.
