Antwerp museums face millions in cuts to art acquisition budgets
Antwerp’s museums and cultural institutions are facing a sharp reduction in acquisition budgets during the current legislative term, according to figures requested by opposition party Groen and reported by VRT NWS. The annual budget for purchasing artworks and collection pieces is set to fall from around 850,000 euros to 478,000 euros.
Groen city councillor Meyrem Almaci said the cuts mainly affect the expansion of the city’s art collections, the acquisition of books and literature and the “Art in the City” programme, which concerns artworks in public spaces.
According to the figures, the combined budget for those three areas amounted to 7.375 million euros during the 2020–2025 legislative term. For the current term, that would drop to 3.91 million euros. The biggest reduction concerns the city museums, whose acquisition budget would decrease from 5.1 million euros to 2.86 million euros.
Almaci warned that lower acquisition budgets could make it harder for Antwerp museums to compete with major international institutions when important works come onto the market. She pointed to the possibility that museums such as the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA) might no longer be able to acquire significant works by artists such as James Ensor. According to Almaci, this could ultimately affect both the quality of collections and Antwerp’s cultural appeal to visitors.
“The figures are painfully clear"
Culture alderman Lien Van de Kelder (Vooruit) rejected suggestions that the city is scaling back its ambitions. She noted that art acquisitions are unpredictable and require a flexible approach to budgeting.
Van de Kelder pointed to a recent attempt by the Rubenshuis to acquire a set of 12 portraits as an example of opportunities the city still intends to pursue. According to her, the city can shift funds between budget lines when necessary to support acquisitions.
She also commented that during the previous legislative term only around 85 per cent of the allocated acquisition budgets were actually spent, meaning expenditure fluctuates considerably from year to year. “No less art will be purchased in the coming years. This is not a saving,” the alderman said.
#FlandersNewsService | Painting by James Ensor at KMSKA © BELGA PHOTO TOM GOYVAERTS
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