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New research has found that museums in the UK need a 10-20% increase in funding just in order to stabilise their finances, with many concerned over ongoing funding shortfalls
Tom Anstey | Planet Attractions | 13 Jun 2024
A decline in local authority funding has had a big impact on the UK’s museums Credit: Canva
Two years ago half of museum directors in the UK expressed concerns about funding shortfalls. In 2024 that figure has now risen to two-thirds, according to recently released research.
Art Fund’s annual Museum Directors Research, now in its fourth year, found that although 51% of respondents have seen a rise in commercial income in the past year, only 15% had seen local authority investment increase, with the general consensus being that they need a 10-20% funding increase in funding overall just to stabilise finances. 28% of respondents said local authority investments had decreased, while 4% revealed it had stopped entirely.
According to the survey, lack of staff (61%) and lack of funding (56%) are key barriers to important work such as digitisation, new acquisitions and collections reviews.
“Local authorities are in a perilous and uncertain state,” said Rachael Browning, the Art Fund’s director of programmes and policy.
“The reality of post-pandemic financial fragility, real-term funding cuts, ageing buildings, and increased overheads are placing them under enormous strain.
“The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on staff and audiences is recognised as the biggest collective challenge facing organisations. Outgoings are just half of the problem; falling income is also a huge worry.”
A positive finding to come from the survey showed a 57% increase in overall visitor numbers over the past year, with a quarter of museums now reporting visitors numbers higher than pre-pandemic figures.
According to the Art Fund, despite difficult conditions, hope prevails.
“Museum directors are thinking imaginatively and ambitiously about how they can use their collections to encourage new people through their doors with programming that speaks to a diversity of voices and experience,” said a release.
“There is strength in numbers as more organisations seek to work together on exhibitions. There is acute awareness of a huge opportunity in achieving proper recognition for the work they do in delivering for their communities.”
Following the release, the Art Fund highlighted key challenges for a year ahead. These include the cost-of-living crisis, which is having a particular impact on independent museums or museums that charge for entry or rely on secondary spending to meet funding goals. Museums will also have to be prepared for continued local authority spending cuts, as well as find a way to meet building maintenance and building operating costs.
The survey was made up of responses from 324 museum directors in the UK.
Click here to download the report
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