Fee or free? How entry charges affect museums in the US

The article examines the financial impact of eliminating or reducing admission fees at US museums, using Baltimore's Walters Art Museum and Baltimore Museum of Art as case studies. While the Walters saw a 45% attendance increase and a tripling of minority participation after going free in 2006, the surge did not generate enough ancillary revenue from merchandise, food, or memberships to offset lost ticket income. Over time, attendance at both institutions declined—by 18.6% at the Walters and 12.7% at the BMA—according to a 2021 survey. Experts like former Met president Daniel Weiss and economist John Silvia argue that free admission often fails to meaningfully boost visitation and can strain museum finances.

If fashion is art, why doesn’t CNZ fund it?

Creative New Zealand (CNZ) explicitly states on its website that it does not fund fashion design, classifying it as primarily part of the commercial creative industries. The article highlights the contradiction that while major institutions like The Dowse Art Museum, Auckland Art Gallery, and World of WearableArt treat fashion as art, CNZ denies funding to fashion designers, with rare exceptions for non-commercial, cross-cultural, or collaborative projects. Fashion designer Doris de Pont, founder of The New Zealand Fashion Museum, notes that even when her trust received CNZ support, it was for the art connection, not the fashion itself.

Federal Bill Creating Smithsonian Women’s Museum Scuttled Over Demand That It Honor Only “Biological” Females

Legislation to advance the construction of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum in Washington, DC, failed in the House on May 21 after Democrats rejected amendments added by Republicans. The bill, introduced by Republican Representative Nicole Malliotakis, was defeated 216-204, with six Republicans joining Democrats in opposition. Key changes included language specifying the museum would honor only “biological women” and explicitly barring the depiction of any “biological male as a female,” which critics said would exclude transgender women. Other provisions would have given President Donald Trump unilateral authority to choose an alternative site for the museum, originally planned for the National Mall, and granted approval power over design and construction to commissions controlled by Trump appointees.

Memorial Art Gallery admission will become free starting in 2027

The Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) in Rochester, New York, announced on May 13 that admission will become free for all visitors starting in 2027, eliminating its current $20 entry fee permanently. The museum, part of the University of Rochester, raised over $9 million through its "Free for All, Forever" campaign, surpassing its original target faster than expected. Key donations included a $1 million gift from Dr. Alexander A. Levitan and his wife Lucy K. Levitan, a $3 million donation from UR trustee Doug Bennett, his wife Abby, and the Sands Family Foundation, and $2 million from Mary Ellen Burris. Additional support came from anonymous donors, Kitty and Nick Jospé, and Sandy Hawks Lloyd and Justin Hawks Lloyd.

(BPRW) Getty Awards $1.8M to Increase Access to Black Visual Arts Archives

The Getty Foundation has awarded $1.8 million in grants to eight institutions through its Black Visual Arts Archives initiative, a multi-year program aimed at increasing access to archival collections related to Black artists and arts organizations. The grants will support processing, digitization, and public programming at venues including Afro Charities, Auburn Avenue Research Library, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Charles H. Wright Museum, Morgan State University, South Side Community Art Center, the University of Chicago's South Side Home Movie Project, and the David C. Driskell Center. This brings Getty's total funding for the initiative to $4.5 million since 2022, supporting 20 grants nationwide.

In Washington, the Women's Museum will not see the light of day

À Washington, le Musée des femmes ne verra pas le jour

The U.S. House of Representatives has rejected a bill to establish the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., after a bipartisan consensus collapsed. The original bill, introduced by Republican Representative Nicole Malliotakis in February 2025, had over 230 co-sponsors and aimed to allocate a site opposite the National Museum of African American History and Culture. However, an amendment by Representative Mary Miller redefined the museum's mission as dedicated to "biological women," explicitly excluding transgender women, and removed references to diversity. The committee approved the amendment along party lines (7-4), leading to the bill's failure to secure the necessary votes.

Art Problems: WTF Is an A-Corp?

The article explains the concept of an Artist Corporation (A-Corp), a new business structure for artists introduced in a bill before the Colorado state legislature, originally proposed by entrepreneur Yancey Strickler. It allows artists to form a legally recognized business entity without hiring a lawyer, simply by filling out a form, and provides liability protection by separating personal assets from business assets. The bill is expected to reach the governor's desk by mid-May and be enacted within six months, with five or six other states, including New York, expressing interest.

PRESS RELEASE: OK Arts Council announces historic gift of artworks for the Oklahoma State Art Collection

The Oklahoma Arts Council has announced a historic gift of artworks for the Oklahoma State Art Collection. The donation, described as one of the largest in the collection's history, includes a significant number of works by Oklahoma artists and will be formally added to the state's holdings.