It’s been a bit of a blurgh day…. a trek through the snow to work, convinced that my wellies were leaking…..and a reject from the commission I’d applied for. Not so bad for me really, compared to us all sitting in the staffroom, trying to not look at the latest person who is facing the axe.
It seems eons ago now since we were ushered into a staff briefing to be told of the cuts facing the gallery. I lost my comfy part time office job, which I enjoyed and was doing well in. The job was broken down and bits of it shoved onto several other people who already had a large work load. I was still employable though and was given the option of either invigilating on the gallery, or taking the money they offered and running. I thought long and hard about it….. how long would the money last me? The commissions, workshops and others means of work that I had been relying on, were drying up fast. Maybe I could last 6 months? Too risky. As much as I loathed the idea of standing on a gallery, I asked if I could go full time – the rationale being that I will do it for two years, pay off my credit cards, save some cash and then either go back to part time or try to go freelance. 1 year and 2 months on, the likelihood of things getting better are fading.
12 members of staff took the money. A few managed to get some casual work, the others are still unemployed.
As each department was reviewed, a further 4 or 5 lost their jobs. Although they received a payment, they were not offered work. I count myself very lucky there.
So the last department has had their review and the last casualty has been informed. That’s meant to be it now – all done and dusted.
I’m thinking about it now, because I’ve just read about the cuts Sheffield galleries are facing. Is that really it for us or can they find further ways of saving money?
I don’t think I can last another two years doing this job without going totally nuts. I don’t spend every day on the galleries – just 3 in every 5, but that’s enough.
I see so many graduates join us thinking that they will use this job as a step up the ladder. But there is no ladder – we are all on the bottom rung and we will stay there. Well, until the next round of cuts anyway.
