Museums Feeling the Culture Crunch

Eat or art?

People are cutting culture from their budgets these days, and so museums are feeling the effects of the recession, according to the Associated Press.

Lack of government funding and tighter-pocketed donors are just a couple reasons why some institutions are having to cut staff, spending, and programming. Some may not be able to make it out of the recession alive.

"You are going to see some institutions that don't make it through this or merge," said Malinda Horton, Florida Association of Museums executive director. "I don't think it will be vast loss, but I think we may lose some."

Terence Riley, Miami Art Museum director, said the museums budget was slashed 25 percent after private donations began slowing in 2008. Changes included staff reductions and wage and hiring freezes.

"All these are regrettable," Riley said.

Plans for fancy new digs have been in the works for a while now, and Riley hopes to have groundbreaking before the end of the year. Riley says the funding for it is secure and doesn't anticipate going over budget.

Chip Willis, the chief operating officer of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, says it gets 46 percent of its budget from state funds. Attendance is up, he said, but endowments are down and this month the admission price increased by $1.

"Obviously the economy is effecting things. There is no doubt about that," Willis said. "I really don't know what the future is going to bring ... We've got to just wait and see. And wait and see what the funding is from the state."