Bellevue Arts Museum announces closure amid financial crisis

Bellevue Arts Museum announces closure

After months of dealing with financial struggles, the Bellevue Arts Museum announced Wednesday that it is shutting down.

BELLEVUE, Wash. - The Bellevue Arts Museum announced its closure to the public on Wednesday after dealing with significant post-pandemic financial challenges.

In a press release, the Bellevue Arts Museum (BAM) said it faced similar struggles to many other museums in the U.S., including a major drop in foot traffic and fewer donations.

"BAM, like most American museums, has been affected by revenue losses amid drops in attendance, fundraising, and retail sales since the end of the pandemic. Despite the museum's best efforts to overcome significant financial challenges, BAM can no longer sustain its operations.," read BAM's press release.

BAM, a not-for-profit organization, relied heavily on grants and financial support from the public. However, the decline in visitors severely affected funding, leaving the museum in an unsustainable position after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The museum still plans to manage the Bellevue Arts Fair in 2025, but will cease its programs and exhibitions.

Kate Casprowiak Scher, Executive Director of BAM, issued a statement in response to the closure:

"BAM was established almost 50 years ago and was largely the product of volunteerism and a drive to give the Eastside community access to the arts year round. Over 23 years ago, the museum moved into the ambitious and now iconic Steven Holl building, constructed with the idea to ‘See, Explore, Make.’ Generations of Bellevueites have supported this museum and we are deeply proud of the exhibitions and programming we have produced. Unfortunately, the financial model in the new building has never been sustainable and it has relied too heavily on "one-time" big donors. We are caught in a cycle of financial instability that prevents us from reaching our potential. Still, I am incredibly grateful for the staff, the board, the docents, the advisory council, our members and everyone who has taken the time to visit or support our museum. Closing the museum is not a decision we take lightly. We have explored many different paths to keep our doors open. We have reached out to government, corporate and community stakeholders but have consistently come up short. There is great hesitancy to invest in an institution with preexisting financial issues. I find it frustrating because I know we have immense potential to serve the public and build Bellevue’s cultural identity. This is not just a loss for the museum, but for the entire Bellevue community. We understand the disappointment and sadness this news will bring, and we share in those feelings."

The museum launched a "SAVE BAM" campaign earlier this year, which raised over $350,000 in six weeks. Without the fundraiser, BAM says it could have closed much earlier, though it still didn't get the attention of the community's largest stakeholders.

The Bellevue Arts Museum will keep a small transitional staff to support a reorganization, run private events and manage Arts Fair 2025.

"We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported BAM over the years. Your belief in the power of art and culture has been our greatest strength, and we hope that, in time, we may find a way to bring that spirit back to life in a new and sustainable form," said Board President Jay Pathy.