Nelson-Atkins reduces staff, budget as pandemic continues crippling museum’s revenue
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is laying off staff and cutting its budget as the result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Because of lost revenue incurred since the start of the pandemic, museum leaders said they are cutting 36 positions, which is equivalent to 15% of the museum’s staff, according to a Wednesday news release from Kathleen Leighton, a museum spokeswoman.
The museum is also cutting its budget by 25%, according to the release. This leaves the institution with a budget of about $26 million.
“Any decision to reduce the size of the staff must be the last resort. The staff members of the Nelson-Atkins keep our institution’s mission thriving, and they ensure that the museum is a cultural treasure in Kansas City,” Richard C. Green, Chair of the Nelson-Atkins Board of Trustees, said in the release.
“Unfortunately, we are not immune to the same forces that businesses and other nonprofit organizations have faced during this difficult year. These steps are being taken to ensure the museum’s long-term sustainability.”
The museum, which previously welcomed about 500,000 visitors a year, was closed from March 14 through Sept. 11 to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
The museum reopened to the public on Sept. 12 with revised hours and protocols. Admission remains free, but timed tickets are required to promote social distancing and to manage the number of visitors. Masks are required.
While the museum is again open, the number of visitors is “dramatically lower, thus generating less income,” Leighton said. The Nelson-Atkins also canceled its traveling exhibitions, in-person tours, classes, public programs and festivals, which also brought in money.
Leighton said despite private donations and the museum securing a Payroll Protection Program loan and reallocating funds, they still weren’t able to offset all the costs of the pandemic.
“But while our staff will be smaller and our resources more limited, we are fully committed to providing transformative experiences with the extraordinary art collection that defines this museum,” the release said.
The Star’s Dan Kelly contributed to this report.
This story was originally published October 21, 2020 at 4:26 PM.
