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The Incredible Shrinking Museum: LACMA Film Series a Study in Losses
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The Los Angeles County Museum of Art announced yesterday that after four decades, they were ending their much-loved weekend film series, but hopes to reassure fans and patrons that they aren't abandoning film altogether, reports the LA Times.LACMA's screenings--though many heavily attended and often involving discussions including actors, directors, and other personnel--have cost the museum millions, specifically "$1 million in losses over the last 10 years." Despite LA being an industry town, LACMA also noted "diminishing audiences," and, as a part of their overall strategy of reduction, decided, in the words of the museum's director, Michael Govan, "to stem [their] losses." This includes turning the full-time employee in charge of the film program there to a part-time consultant.
Film isn't completely off the table for LACMA's future, however:
The museum said that it was not abandoning its commitment to films and filmmakers but instead wanted to rethink its approach to the art form, and would look for potential donors to underwrite an unspecified future film program that is curated like any other part of the museum's exhibits.
Their last official Weekend series concludes mid-October.
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