Attendances down

Press, 25 November 1980, Page 6

Attendances down

Christchurch does not .seem to be living up to its reputation as a cultural; centre.

I Attendance figures at the ;-$24 million ‘America and jEurope:. A Century . of ;Modern 'Masters” exhibition )at the Robert McDougall Art ]. Gallery me still -well down! ' on -Wellington and Auckland. I ! The director of .the !ry, Dr'T. L. IR. Wilson, saidi [tha t a±> o u t 13,000 ) .Christchurch .people had visited the exhibition since -it 'opened two weeks ago. The exhibition will close -on December 7. Neatly 1700 visited the gallery on Sunday,

(and about 1300 on •Saturday. Inspite of the low figures, Dr \Wilson said, he liked to think that Christchurch's .;reputafipn as a .cultural centre - -s true. “I have a feeling -•.that Chri-stchurch may be leaving its attendance ;to the last moment.”

In 'Wellington the exhibition attracted 56.000 .visitors, land in Auckland G5.‘000 people. Dr Wilson had ear-’ Uier expected that about 40,1.0(10 people would attend in ■Christchurch. However, he said that the attendances had improved :over the week-end. On the previous Sunday. 1300 people -had visited the exhibition.

Dr Wilson said he could think of no reason -for the lower attendances in 'Christchurch. The advertising . .and publicity in the three centres -had been -simi-i lar. If Christchurch did not show enough support it could miss : future exhibitions. Ultimately it was a question of “balancing thp books.” Dr Wilson said there had been no problems with -the exhibition. Everything had gone smoothly, except for the four-day strike by -security guards last week, when gallery staff had to be rostered to cover the exhibition.