Neos Kosmos has received information from trusted sources, who wish to remain anonymous, expressing concern about the future of the Immigration Museum under current financial pressures at Museums Victoria.
At a tense “town hall”-style meeting of all museum staff on August 6 — a video of which was later leaked to the media — Museums Victoria CEO Lynley Crosswell announced job and budget cuts, citing the need for institution-wide savings in light of the Victorian government’s deficit. In the video she makes specific mention of how the Immigration Museum would be affected by major cuts.
Our sources though told Neos Kosmos, “Any further reductions to the IM would deliver negligible savings but risk undermining one of Victoria’s most important cultural and social institutions.”
They also alleged that Museums Victoria management “deliberately ignored income-generating measures that could have brought in over $3 million.”
Crosswell has emphatically rejected this narrative and, in her statement to Neos Kosmos.
“We have gone to extraordinary lengths to see the museum prosper, exploring every opportunity, because we believe in its importance and value,” Crosswell said.
“Through important collections, exhibitions, events, education programs and digital content, the Immigration Museum delivers memorable experiences for audiences of all ages. In the past 12 months, Immigration Museum hosted Notre Dame: The Augmented Experience, an internationally acclaimed exhibition that we supported with a French inspired café. This was alongside Joy, a visitor favourite that we’ve extended until December,” the museums’ CEO said.
The Immigration Museum has played a central role in preserving and presenting Victoria’s multicultural story. Some community members, however, feel it has been overlooked in recent years. In 2019, Neos Kosmos reported on community concerns around a proposed name change for the museum, first leaked in the Herald Sun. At the time, Crosswell told Neos Kosmos that the report “was a leak and was taken out of context,” and stressed that Museums Victoria “have no intention at this stage on name change.”
That same year, the CEO underlined Museums Victoria’s commitment to immigrant community engagement.
“We need the guidance and advice of the established and traditional communities.
“We are engaged in a long-term project aimed at revitalising the connection our community has with the Immigration Museum.”
Crosswell has reiterated her commitment to the Immigration Museum in her statement to Neos Kosmos.
“We are immensely proud of the Immigration Museum and its important place in our community. The Immigration Museum is where we share the powerful stories of our vibrant multicultural heritage and history that reflect our rich diversity.”
However, this week’s revelations published by The Age point to Museums Victoria’s plans to cut one in eight positions across its workforce, raise entry prices, and delay upgrades to its technology infrastructure as part of cost-saving measures.
Crosswell, in her statement to Neos Kosmos, acknowledged “the government’s ongoing support of the creative industries and the investment in the May state budget, including to Museums Victoria.”
She added that it was important to “operate effectively within our funding envelope” and said the institution is pursuing a range of savings and additional revenue measures.
Crosswell pointed to how the government’s call for savings in an attempt to deal with its major deficit also “affects Museums Victoria as a whole.”
The CEO said they “are working to reduce costs across the organisation, and no individual museum will be targeted when implementing these measures.”
Crosswell has guaranteed multicultural communities that, “Regardless of current challenges we will continue to work to ensure each of our treasured museums presents the diverse stories, extraordinary collections, compelling exhibitions and experiences for the many and diverse communities we serve.”
As savings are sought and commitments of engagement renewed, the future of the Immigration Museum — and the stories it was built to tell — still feels vulnerable to some.
