It's the Economy.... Again.

The New York Times explores the uncertainty associated with the economy in the arts world through a look at several prominent museums and their programmed exhibitions.  MoMA, LACMA, the Brooklyn Museum, and others are constantly in the planning process for upcoming exhibitions, which includes a significant development effort to finance these exhibitions.  Though they may be years off at this point, the overarching feeling seems to be one of caution and a general "scaling back" from some of the more recent ambitious shows at these major museums.  Added to the pull-back in individual giving forecasted for the upcoming year(s), city agencies are being told to cut budgets, which will necessarily involve decreasing the municipal funding to these fine arts institutions.
Thankfully, some corporate sponsors (Target, UBS, and Bank of America) plan to continue their support for the arts at levels comparable to that of past years.  And as a ray of hope, Michael George, director of LACMA, notes: "Art doesn't lose its emotional or artistic value. That doesn't change no matter what the economy."

-Dana Horst