The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, which oversees the de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor, is making job cuts across the organisation.
Thomas Campbell, director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, announced the staffing reduction in a statement dated 18 July.
He said the organisation has made “the difficult decision” to eliminate 12 positions “to safeguard the long-term health and sustainability of our institution”.
The layoffs come after the museums implemented several internal measures like budget reduction and resource allocation to reduce costs.
Nevertheless, a workforce reduction was deemed “necessary”, Campbell said.
This has been attributed to a prolonged period of “softening tourism” in San Francisco, resulting in lower attendance at the de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor.
Visitor numbers at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco have been down nearly 20 percent from pre-pandemic levels.
“Despite our best efforts – including exemplary programming, aggressive fundraising goals and a record number of Free Saturdays and family programs – we faced a financial gap that could not be closed without this action,” Campbell said.
“Today’s decision is incredibly difficult,” he added.
“Like many local and global cultural institutions, we are navigating the compounding pressures of post-pandemic behavior shifts and increased operational costs.
“We are making this adjustment to responsibly adapt to the reality of the current cultural and financial landscape.”
Job cuts at North American museums
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) has also laid off 29 staff members due to challenges including a $5 million structural deficit and lower post-pandemic attendance
Other North American museums to announce layoffs so far this year include the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Images courtesy of Gary Sexton Photography
