Employment practices

Security guards at London's Science Museum and Natural History Museum to strike over pay

The workers, who will start the action at the end of this month, say they are treated as “second-class employees”

Over 50% of gallerists have a poor work-life balance, with those in the US most acutely affected

A new survey reveals that fewer than half of gallery employees feel like their lives are well-balanced

White Cube in London lets go of 38 invigilators—most of them artists and students

The terminations follow a general trend among galleries that are moving away from visitor engagement to visitor management, the workers were told

Art History grads face highest rates of unemployment in the US

An interactive report by the New York Fed reveals that those with university degrees in the arts are most likely to find themselves without jobs in the current labour market

Labournews

Spain seeks to improve artists' rights across EU but labour reforms at home fall short

MEPs back new support measures for creatives following Spain's Statute of the Artist decree, now in political limbo

Museumscomment

Why do US museum workers want to quit?

Employees in the sector increasingly find their jobs exhausting and unfulfilling—but how can they avoid burnout at work?

Museumscomment

'Controversy at Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in Delhi raises important questions over private museums in public life'

The firing of a curator for making critical statements against the museum's founder has prompted a long-overdue debate within the art world

'The prestigious places are the worst': low pay still dogs the art industry, despite optimistic salary survey

The art market salary report offers insights into salaried employment but the impact of low wages—and having children—in a time of rapid inflation are missing

Labournews

Can New York's imminent salary transparency law pierce the art world's smokescreen?

City council's move to enforce wage disclosures in job adverts could usher in a sea change at major US cultural institutions—challenging persistent pay inequality in the sector

'Women in the arts are winning the battle for equal employment—but they haven’t yet won the war'

The latest UBS Art Basel report finds that top jobs are finally going to women—even at the mega galleries

Museumsanalysis

Why are top jobs in Chinese museums going to white men?

Local professionals continue to be overlooked for highly paid leading roles

Mexico's culture crisis: pandemic leads to budget cuts that leave many workers unpaid while vanity projects receive millions

The ministry of culture has lost 75% of its funding, threatening the long-term survival of the country’s publicly funded museums and heritage sites

Art marketanalysis

You’re fired! Art workers who have lost jobs report poor treatment by employers—and junior staff are most vulnerable

Some gallery and museum staff say they feel pressure to go into the workplace when they fear it is unsafe, while tough non-compete clauses can limit future employment options

Anna Brady. with additional reporting by Anny Shaw

Museums have hastily cut their staff to save money—what will happen when visitors return and they need them back?

With vaccines now being deployed and a return to normality on the horizon, institutions may find they have been shortsighted in letting their employees go

Cancel art galleries? Staff take grievances against employers to Instagram

Anonymously posted incidents of racism and sexism are forcing greater scrutiny towards problematic behaviour within the industry

Labournews

Crisis at Hunter College: after surprise layoffs, remaining art assistants refuse to work

The part-time staff who were spared from the axe still do not have contracts for the autumn semester, while classes have already started

'Brutal' planned redundancies at London's Southbank Centre called out in open letter

Signatories claim cuts will disproportionately affect Bame staff and question chief executive’s salary

PinchukArtCenter employees claim to have been sacked after attempting to form trade union

Ukrainian institution says the 28 guides were dismissed to make way for innovation

Staff quit in droves at Russian museum as ‘starvation wages’ bite

Deputy director’s swingeing salary cuts trigger resignations of around 50 employees at Moscow theatre museum

Diversityarchive

Representation and diversity: America is changing, but are its art museums?

Most major institutions are still run by white people, are supported by them, and tailor their exhibitions to suit them

Museumsarchive

MoMA investigated by federal agency over allegations of unfair dismissals

“We think the employees were let go in retaliation for their union activities,” says National Labour Relations Board attorney Don Zavelo