The Dallas Museum of Artwork (DMA) introduced this week that it has laid off 8% of its workforce amidst ongoing funds issues. Beginning 1 December, the Texas museum will moreover take away its Friday night hours and shut its doorways to the general public on Tuesdays. Whereas the DMA has characterised its downsizing efforts as steps in direction of sustainability, ongoing plans for a $150m renovation and enlargement challenge haven’t been interrupted.
In a press launch, the DMA described its choice as following a “cautious evaluate of each facet of the museum’s operations” in addition to a recognition of the necessity to “modify to new realities in a post-pandemic world, together with rising prices, expiration of presidency funding and audiences not but returning to pre-pandemic ranges”. Whereas prior efforts to decrease prices produced hiring freezes and budget-friendly exhibitions of the museum’s everlasting assortment, latest layoffs have affected “almost all departments”, representing a unilateral downsizing of operations. In whole, 20 worker positions have been eradicated, whereas two had been turned from full- to part-time.
With the announcement of adjustments to its workforce and operations, the DMA claims that it’s “now in alignment with achievable income objectives”. In the intervening time, it doesn’t anticipate “to make different adjustments or additional employees reductions”.
Notably, the DMA’s embrace of austerity is available in direct distinction to its multimillion-dollar enlargement plans, described in its challenge web site as a revitalization of the at present “unwelcoming, off-putting” and “tough to navigate” two-block campus, initially designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes in 1984. In August, a proposal by the Madrid-based Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos was introduced because the successful design from a shortlist of six finalists, with DMA director Agustín Arteaga claiming that the museum may have the much-needed alternative to indicate “masterworks” beforehand saved in storage, and showcase “probably the most vital assortment of latest artwork of any encyclopaedic museum”.
No updates have but been given relating to adjustments to exhibition scheduling or employees all through the renovation course of, and The Artwork Newspaper’s request for remark stays unanswered.
