IMA budget cuts: Park pushed back

Earlier today, the Indianapolis Museum of Art announced a series of cutbacks designed to trim $1.7 million from its budget due to “significant losses to its endowment as well as shortfalls in income generated through donations and purchases at the museum store and event rentals.”

These include:

–Pushing back the opening of 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park to Spring of 2010.

–Eliminating the quarterly event catalogue, Art for You, along with other printed materials. More focus will be put on its website as a source for information.

–Instead of three major exhibitions yearly, there will now be two. It’s two big 2009 shows, “European Design Since 1985: Shaping the New Century” and “Sacred Spain: Art and Belief in the Spanish World” will continue as planned.

–Eliminating positions through attrition and job reallignment.

–The IMA is also exploring cutting hours of operation. There is no plan to change the free admission policy.

Does all of this seem prudent in tough economic times? Can you suggest other cuts or revenue generation ideas?

Your thoughts?