The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) is set to make deep cuts to its staff and programming. This comes as both attendance and revenue have hit a 15-year low. The cuts are part of a plan from the VAG’s board to balance the budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.
“Every single department is being impacted,” said Eva Respini, co-interim chief executive officer, in a recent interview. Sirish Rao, the other co-interim chief executive officer, added, “What we do, as well as the people who do it.”
Last week, voluntary departure packages were offered to staff. Layoff notices are expected to be issued on Monday.
Before this, the gallery had 129 full-time staff, including both union and non-union workers. The staff reduction is seen as necessary to address a growing deficit. This includes a general operating deficit of $2.85 million for 2023-2024 and total deficiencies of $32.1 million, including the new building project.
The cuts will have a big impact on the gallery’s operations. The library and archives will close indefinitely this summer. Plans for traveling exhibitions have been put on hold.
The gallery has also cancelled a large Indigenous show from New York that was set for this fall. Instead, the VAG will use its collection to create temporary exhibitions that will run for longer. Special programs, like performances and film screenings, will be greatly reduced.
There will also be a temporary pause on outgoing loans from the collection, but loans already in progress will continue.
vancouver art gallery budget rebalancing
In addition to staff cuts, there are changes at the top.
Both Rao and Respini, who became interim co-chief executive officers earlier this year, will continue to oversee the cuts without replacements for their previous roles. The position of chief advancement officer will also stay empty. Despite these challenges, the gallery is moving ahead with plans for a new facility.
Rao described it as a “major city-building project.” The project will go on even though construction on a previous design was paused last year, and the design by a Swiss firm was later dropped. A new, smaller facility by a Canadian architect, yet to be announced, will be built on the new location. Rao stressed the importance of this project, noting the downtown land gifted by the city, federal and provincial government funding, and support from philanthropist Michael Audain.
Jon Stovell, the board chair, defended the decision, saying, “The gallery is doing exactly what it should be doing. It would be easy to continue in a less disciplined manner. But I think making these cuts now and repositioning the capital project are essential for the gallery’s ultimate success.”
Respini commented on the gallery’s future, “We’re working with Canadian architects in a moment where we’re thinking a lot about Canadian identity.” She added that the changes represent a “reframing” rather than just a reduction in programming, which means doing different things going forward.
One of the harder decisions was cancelling “Indian Theater: Native Performance, Art, and Self-Determination since 1969,” curated by Candice Hopkins of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation. Instead, the VAG will showcase Indigenous art from its collection. A permanent collection exhibition featuring works by well-known B.C. artists like Emily Carr, Jeff Wall, and Beau Dick is set to open next March.
Gallery leaders know these cuts are difficult but emphasize being financially responsible during these uncertain times. They point out that other arts institutions face similar issues and see this as a chance to focus on the collection and offer visitors a unique Canadian and British Columbian experience. “It is both a fraught and exciting moment,” says Rao.
