(Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Tight budgets

Mann Art Gallery announces changes to address financial pressures

Jan 9, 2026 | 11:41 AM

Citing rising operational costs and the ongoing financial pressures faced by many charitable arts organizations, the Mann Art Gallery in Prince Albert is doing some restructuring while also planning some fundraising.

As of Jan. 1, public opening hours will only be Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Administrative Director Carolyn Carleton told paNOW there is a lot of work that happens behind the scenes to keep the doors open, and after reviewing the records, the board noted the visitors who come in do so during the later days of the week.

“So, we were like why don’t we just funnel our public hours into those three days and we can really focus on the customers coming into our gift shop or people coming in to visit the gallery,” she said, adding they could then use the other days to focus on administration and the permanent collection.

Carleton confirmed the gallery does receive grant money which goes towards the exhibitions, permanent collections and educational programming. The struggle lies with operational costs such as salaries.

Since 2019, they receive $100,000 each year from the City. During the last round of budget discussions, they had been seeking up to $160,000, but Carleton stated they would have been happy with $135,000. The request was denied and the funding remained status quo.

Linner Lane group home

City denies group home application, questions letter authenticity

9h ago

Crime

Over a dozen charges laid after car jacking in Northern Saskatchewan

13h ago

Court proceedings

Prince Albert sexual assault results in three-year sentence

14h ago

Carlton said they have no full-time staff, adding the people who work there are either 3/4 time, part-time, or come in on an as-needed basis.

“So we’re doing what we can to operate with the staff we have in order to fulfill everything we need to do.”

In parallel with these operational adjustments, the Mann Art Gallery is strengthening its focus on sponsorship and fundraising initiatives to support long-term financial stability.

In the coming months, the Gallery will be seeking support from individuals, businesses, and community partners through event sponsorships, targeted fundraising campaigns, and enhanced donor engagement. These initiatives will directly support exhibitions, education programming, collections care, and day-to-day operations.

“As a charitable organization, we rely on a combination of public funding, earned revenue, and the generosity of our supporters,” Carleton added. “Community support is essential to sustaining the Gallery as a vibrant cultural resource for Prince Albert and the surrounding region.”

New Public Hours (Effective January 1, 2026):

• Monday: Closed
• Tuesday: Closed
• Wednesday: Closed
• Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Saturday: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
• Sunday: Closed

—

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell