Build it and They Will Come? - Museum Operation in Australia's Economy of Cultural Creativity

Abstract

Build It and They Will Come?

Abstract of Paper:

Museums are now recognized as an essential component in developing the creative economy with numerous examples, from the Tate Modern in London to the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane, Australia, demonstrating their value as local sites for education, entertainment and social inclusion and most importantly drivers in boosting employment as tourist attractions. So pervasive is the rhetoric of cultural-led regeneration around museums that it can confuse any focus on their core business as repositories of cultural assets and excellence. In the wake of the global economic crisis when the enthusiasm of corporate and government funding sources has significantly dampened it is timely to reflect on the value of the tangible and intangible heritage of museums. In this paper I will draw from the examples of a number of major Australia museums to speculate on the inherently sustainable value of the museum. I will argue that the existing economic imperatives such as the acquisition of so-called destination objects and staging destination exhibitions have short circuited the potential for a more long-term development of the public gallery or museum.