Galleries most concerned by staffing issues and rising costs

The leading concerns for art galleries in the UK in the coming year are staffing issues and rising costs, a new survey has revealed.

The Heritage Risk Barometer 2022, published by Ecclesiastical, a specialist heritage insurer, identified the top four concerns over the next 12 months as the recruitment and retention of volunteers (cited by 81% of respondents), increasing costs (78%), recruitment and retention of staff (77%) and crime (77%).

The survey aimed to identify the top risks within the heritage sector, focusing on concerns including the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, the recruitment crisis and responding to climate change. 

Over the next three years, the top concerns for galleries were identified as competition from other types of attraction (79%), political uncertainty and the impact of changing government policy (79%) and the ease of access and adaptation for visitors with additional needs (79%).

In the longest-term outlook, covering the next five years, concerns remained focused on staffing and running costs, with 90% of respondents citing recruitment and retention of volunteers as their biggest concern. 

Other long-term concerns included maintaining and repairing heritage buildings (78%), the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on visitor numbers (76%) and lack of diversity among trustees and management boards (76%). 

“The arts sector is facing unprecedented economic uncertainty as inflation and the cost of living soars,” said Faith Kitchen, Customer Segment Director at Ecclesiastical Insurance. 

“Art galleries are having to face huge challenges and many are looking at ways they can cut costs while still maintaining visitor numbers. We hope the Heritage Risk Barometer 2022 will help art galleries think about the risks they face and how best to protect their organisations for the future.”