Confederation Centre Art Gallery now charging admission in peak months - Action News
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PEI

Confederation Centre Art Gallery now charging admission in peak months

The Confederation Centre Art Gallery in Charlottetown is charging admission during the tourism season for the first time, in what its director called a necessary change.

Director says Charlottetown-based gallery was facing a service cut without change

Paintings are seen on the walls on two levels of a building.
The Confederation Centre Art Gallery in Charlottetown has begun charging admission for the first time, rather than suggesting art-lovers donate cash in lieu of a fee. (Ken Linton/CBC)

The Confederation Centre Art Gallery in Charlottetown is charging admission during the tourism season for the first time, in what its director called a necessary change.

Up to now, admission has been by donation only. Most adults will now pay $15 for entrance, with seniors charged $10. Admission for students and kids under 18 will still be by donation.There is also a summer pass for $25.

The gallery had been collecting about $20,000 to $40,000 a year during the summer months under the previous policy, butdirector Kevin Rice said it is not enough.

Without the extra revenue, he said the gallery would need to reduce what it doesdue to rising costs.

"For instance, transportation costs are really high, and we value taking work from other parts of the countryand featuring it here in Charlottetown.... So less of things like that would mean less interesting things on view."

Two colourful paintings are seen on a wall next to a banner that says
"Erica Rutherford: Her Lives and Works" is one of the exhibits currently being shown at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery. (Ken Linton/CBC)

Rice said the fees were finalized after staff looked at comparable facilities in the region. They'll reassess the feesafter this tourism season.

He hopes to see about 12,000 visitors through the gallery's doors from now through October.

The admission fee isin place for those five months only, and admission by donation for everyone will beoffered every Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Admission is still free for the gallery's official summer opening, which includes "Erica Rutherford: Her Lives and Works"and is happening this Friday at 7 p.m.

Corrections

  • An earlier version of this story said the Confederation Centre Art Gallery had been collecting about $10,000 in entrance donations under its old policy. In fact, the gallery has received $20,000 to $40,000 that way during the summer months in recent years.
    Jun 20, 2024 2:17 PM AT

With files from Laura Chapin