Palm Springs Art Museum provides state of the museum and promotes upcoming fundraiser

The Palm Springs Art Muesum told News Channel 3 they have full confidence the museum will still be here once the pandemic is over despite having to undergo a major budget cut and layoff almost half of their employees.

News Channel 3’s Caitlin Thropay spoke with the executive director of the museum to find out more on the state of the museum.

“We’re absolutely ready to open at a moment's notice,” Louis Grachos, executive director for the Palm Springs Art Museum told News Channel 3 on Tuesday.

Grachos shared how the museum has been impacted since closing March 13 due to the pandemic.

“We had to move our budget from $11 million a year to just under $7 million a year so you can see in just one year that’s a dramatic shift,” he said.

In addition, they’ve reduced their staff by 48 percent.

“It will take several years for museums to get back to a level of operation that we’ve come used to expecting from museums,” he said.

Grachos said the museum is solely earning income from its members and donors and he said they’re in the process of moving more programs virtually.

“In addition to that we want to serve our young people," he said. "We’ve been able to put together art making workshops that really stimulates and helps parents work with their kids at home on creating artwork,” he added.

Grachos said when the museum does open expect changes like timed ticketing to stagger when people come into the museum, temperature checks, and social distancing and masks enforced.

“Museums are about people experiencing art one on one; really seeing things and feeling things they are looking at and I think overall people are really missing that,” he said.

He also shared that he thinks people will enjoy having the museum operate at less capacity.

“A limited number of people in the building is actually a wonderful privilege,” he said.

The Palm Springs Art Museum is hosting their “Art Party 2020” virtual fundraiser this Friday, December 4. This will be a digital version of their annual gala. The virtual fundraiser will be hosted by Jaime Lee Curtis. According to the museum, "Funds raised at this event go directly to support the museum's operations, including its exhibition and education programs."

For tickets and to learn more click here: https://www.psmuseum.org/events/artparty?date=2020-12-04

The museum also told News Channel 3 they will be having a virtual auction of contemporary art on April 16, 2021 so mark your calendar for that!