"As a result of considerably increased running costs and stagnant income, the gallery has said it will be looking to cut spending in areas such as public programmes, and activities where, for a number of reasons beyond our control, we can no longer justify their costs. There will also be a voluntary exit scheme available to all staff of the National Gallery and its commercial arm, which will include financial incentives to leave. If this does not raise sufficient savings, compulsory redundancies are possible."
"There had been little indication of the gallery's growing deficit after last year's financial results received a major boost from its Van Gogh exhibition, which attracted a record 335,000 visitors. It will host another blockbuster exhibition this year when all of Van Eyck's surviving portraits are united for the first time. But in the current financial year, which ends in March, the gallery expects to face a deficit of about 2m."
National Gallery faces an £8.2m deficit next year after a projected £2m shortfall in the current financial year. Rising operational costs, stagnant income, cuts to public spending, commercial pressures, and weak visitor numbers have driven the deficit. Visitor numbers fell from six million pre‑Covid to 3.8 million in the 12 months to September 2025. Planned savings include fewer free and ticketed exhibitions, reduced international borrowing of artworks, higher ticket prices, and cuts to public programmes and activities deemed unjustifiable. A voluntary exit scheme with financial incentives will be offered to staff, with compulsory redundancies possible if savings are insufficient.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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