From the Editor - April 25, 2023 Issue

April 24, 2023

9:30 PM

Western Canada's art magazine since 2002

Portia Priegert

From the Editor

Several recent news items about admission fees at public galleries are reminders that economic factors are sometimes a blind spot in discussions about inclusivity in cultural spaces.

The harsh reality, as underlined by the pandemic, is that the very communities galleries are trying to attract – including newcomers and racialized people – typically face structural employment barriers. Disproportionately, they take low-paying and difficult jobs that others do not want.

This is no small issue, particularly with the escalating cost of living. When you earn minimum wage, or close to it, little says “you don’t belong here” like a $20 or $30 admission fee. Imagine if libraries, another public service, charged such rates.

A few galleries have it right. The Remai Modern in Saskatoon, for instance, removed admission fees in favour of a by-donation model last October and says it has seen an upswing in attendance, even above levels immediately preceding the pandemic. The Glenbow Museum in Calgary will offer free admission in perpetuity when it reopens next year after major renovations. In both cases, wealthy benefactors made large endowments to support this move.

Some galleries offer limited deals, such as by-donation entry on certain evenings, as they balance accessibility with the revenue hit. But long lineups should be cues for rethinking how to better serve a wide range of people, including pensioners and those who are unemployed or cannot work, as well as the working poor, which includes many artists.

Other strategies include free entry to children or cost-cutting family rates. If you visit regularly and can spring for an annual membership, that may be the best deal. As well, Indigenous folks can enter some spaces at no charge.

But “let’s make a deal” admission strategies can be needlessly complicated and, potentially, shaming. Since when did figuring out affordable ways to look at art start to feel like negotiating a cell-phone package?

What to do? Here’s one idea: The federal government is seeking public input as it works on a new national policy for Canadian museums, large and small. Inclusivity will doubtless be a foundational principle of the new policy, which will guide federal decisions about things like funding and heritage protection, likely for several decades. Why not weigh in on this issue, or anything else that’s front of mind? Here’s the link to have your say.

Moving on to this issue of Galleries West, we invite you to read – at no charge, provided you have Internet access – about a retrospective for Abenaki filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin, solo painting exhibitions by Damian Moppett and Norman Takeuchi, and a large and culturally diverse drawing show, Drawing on Our History. You can also check out photographs of rock legends by Barrie Wentzell.

Finally, those interested in inclusivity can learn about a book that details efforts at the Art Gallery of Ontario. It includes a surprising but telling line from Indigenous curator Wanda Nanibush, one of the editors of Moving the Museum. She writes: “As someone who did not grow up in museums, I still find I struggle to belong in them today.”

Looking ahead, we continue to build a national dialogue between Western Canada and parts more distant with articles about the work of two photographers no longer with us – interior views of public spaces by Montreal’s Lynne Cohen at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and portraits of children, nudists and circus performers by the great American artist Diane Arbus, coming up at Contemporary Calgary.

As always, Galleries West aims to write about new ideas and innovations, while also reflecting back on significant moments from the past. We favour ample images and try to provide context expressed in clear language so articles are accessible to a wide audience. It’s a concrete way we can contribute to a more inclusive art world.

Until next time,