On the first day of a $20 adult entrance charge, the Museum of Contemporary Art has revealed it is in talks with potential sponsors for free days and evenings.
On the first day of a $20 adult entrance charge, the Museum of Contemporary Art has revealed it is in talks with potential sponsors for free days and evenings.
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By Linda Morris
January 31, 2025 — 2.20pm
The Museum of Contemporary Art is seeking a white knight philanthropist or corporate donor to offer days of free admission as the leading Sydney gallery “reluctantly” imposed entry fees for the first time in almost a quarter of a century on Friday.
Visitors were met with ticket desks on entry for the first time since 2000 as the gallery revealed it is in talks with “a number of existing and new MCA supporters about supporting free access moments and initiatives throughout the year”.
A launchpad for leading Australian artists such as Lindy Lee, Tracey Moffatt and Shaun Gladwell, the gallery announced new fees in December after struggling with an inflation-led spike in costs that has outstripped government funding.
In a single year in 2023, expenses rose $5 million, according to its annual report.
MCA chair Lorraine Tarabay said the gallery was open to a sponsor who could underwrite late-night openings, free admission days, weekly or monthly, or entry for the under-25s.
The new general fee is $20, or $35 for all-access entry to premium exhibitions, including the first solo exhibition in Australia of American artist Julie Mehretu.
Free admission will continue to apply for under 18s and students. In a cost-of-living crisis, however, the gallery expects a dip in local visitation, comprising 60 per cent of all onsite visits.
The new charges were softened on day one by a two-for-one ticket offer applying every Friday at least until the end of February. Entry to the family space on level 3, in its centre for national learning, also remains free.
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Most visitors arriving on Friday were unaware of the new charges, but happy to take advantage of any free provisions.
Jenny and John Pas from Darlinghurst had recently visited Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art, which had a $38 entry fee, and also visited the Art Gallery of NSW’s ticketed blockbuster Magritte. Whether the $20 admission fee represented fair value, they said, depended on the quality of exhibition offerings.
“Having been a volunteer working in the arts, I understand how expensive it is to run these institutions,” Jenny Pas said. “MONA doesn’t make a profit, but they’ve got a multimillionaire underwriting it all. So maybe big Australian companies need to look at the arts as well.”
Ben Lynch came with son Max and parents Graham and Sally.
“I realised last night that this was the first day they had their fees, but it’s not dramatically expensive, so it didn’t change our minds,” he said.
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His mother, from Mona Vale, said she was upset that culture was not a government spending priority. “There are a lot of people who just can’t afford [these fees],” she said, “and I think that’s sad because art is so important.”
Gallery director Suzanne Cotter denied profit had driven its decision to reimpose entry fees, and defended its program of showcasing living contemporary artists who have less of a public profile, over big-name draws.
MCA Australia is a not-for-profit organisation, she said, and all revenue from the general admission charge would be directly invested into the museum’s exhibitions and programs.
“We’re having conversations with different entities about supporting free entry one evening a week,” Cotter said. “We are really active as a team looking at the ways we can ensure access in its broadest sense.”
Asked if there had been any offer from government of funding to offset rising costs, she said: “Not yet.”
The opening of Art Gallery of NSW’s Sydney Modern has to some extent undercut the MCA’s point of difference, as has the National Gallery of Australia and National Gallery of Victoria’s moves to present 21st century innovators alongside the staples of international blockbusters of early 20th century Impressionists.
The MCA is dedicated to presenting living contemporary artists, but emerging names without a global profile are often a harder sell in tough economic times. Even so, the gallery has much to offer local and overseas visitors, according to Penelope Benton, executive director of the National Association of Visual Artists.
“The MCA’s upcoming program features some truly outstanding Australian artists, offering audiences the chance to discover bold and unfamiliar works,” she said. “It is fantastic to see the gallery champion local talent, providing a key platform for these artists to connect with a broader public.”
Forty per cent of visitors to the MCA are international tourists, largely drawn from cruise ships. These visitors are more likely to be used to museum fees, which are common in the United States and Europe.
This week the Macron government foreshadowed higher entry fees for the Louvre from 2026 for non-European Union citizens, in order to pay for a dedicated new wing to house the Mona Lisa.
Linda Morris is an arts writer at The Sydney Morning HeraldConnect via Twitter, Facebook or email.
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