Artistic hub UCCA Centre for Contemporary Art faces accusations of withholding employees' salaries for a six-month period amidst reported financial troubles.
UCCA Centre for Contemporary Art Faces Financial Challenges Amidst Broader Crisis in China's Private Art Museum Sector
A financial crisis is gripping China's private art museum sector, with the UCCA Centre for Contemporary Art being one of the latest victims. The Beijing-based institution, known for its ambitious exhibitions and programming, has reportedly withheld employee wages for six months from January to June 2025 due to financial difficulties.
The UCCA's financial troubles are linked to slowed ticket sales, rising international freight costs, challenges with rent payments, and trouble collecting payments from international exhibition partners. Staff have stated that delayed payments are now being distributed gradually, with partial payments beginning in early 2025. Furthermore, the Shanghai branch of UCCA, opened in 2021, has seen no activities since June 2025, and its future remains uncertain.
These issues are part of a broader crisis affecting private art museums in China. Several other institutions, such as the Jupiter Museum of Art in Shenzhen, Qingdao's TAG Art Museum, and the Ennova Art Museum in Langfang, have closed or undergone cutbacks. The crisis is due to corporate backers tightening budgets, consumers adjusting discretionary spending, and rising costs for operations.
The UCCA Centre for Contemporary Art was founded by the late Belgian collectors Guy and Myriam Ullens in 2007 and has expanded its footprint to three more branches in Beidaihe, Shanghai, and Yixing. It has developed an international reputation for its first-rate programmes. However, the deaths of founders Guy and Myriam Ullens in 2023 and 2024 respectively may have contributed to institutional instability.
The UCCA is actively working towards long-term solutions to sustainably fund its programmes for the long term. Specific plans have not been detailed publicly, but the challenges suggest the need for improved financial management, diversified revenue streams, stronger relationships with international partners, and perhaps restructuring to adapt to market realities. No formal announcements about strategic responses or financial restructuring have been reported as of August 2025.
The 798 Art District in Beijing, where the UCCA Centre for Contemporary Art is located, has become more strict about rental payments, which is an additional challenge for the center. The UCCA's landlord has become more demanding, further exacerbating the center's financial woes.
The Red Brick Art Museum's curator, Wang Wenyu, reported a significant drop in visitors during the winter, resulting in difficulties for paying salaries at the beginning of this year. These challenges are not unique to the UCCA; art museums across China are currently undergoing a crisis due to the economic slowdown in the country.
The UCCA's struggle to claim payments from international partners for exhibitions is another financial challenge for the center. This issue, combined with the economic pressures facing the private art museum sector in China, paints a grim picture for the future of the country's art market.
[1] South China Morning Post, "UCCA Centre for Contemporary Art withholds wages for six months, staff say," 2025. [2] Artforum, "UCCA Centre for Contemporary Art Faces Financial Challenges," 2025. [3] The Art Newspaper, "UCCA Centre for Contemporary Art's Financial Woes," 2025. [4] Financial Times, "China's Private Art Museum Sector Faces Crisis," 2025.
- The UCCA Centre for Contemporary Art, renowned for its contemporary art exhibitions, faces financial challenges due to delayed payments and steep costs, leading to withheld employee wages for six months.
- The financial troubles of the UCCA are intertwined with broader issues affecting China's private art museum sector, including decreased attendance, soaring freight costs, rental disputes, and unpaid international partnerships.
- Amidst this crisis, other private art museums, such as the Jupiter Museum of Art, TAG Art Museum, and Ennova Art Museum, have either closed or undergone cutbacks due to budget constraints, changing consumer behavior, and operational expenses.
- To overcome financial difficulties and ensure long-term viability, the UCCA, originally founded by the late collectors Guy and Myriam Ullens, is seeking solutions like improved financial management, diverse revenue streams, stronger international partnerships, and potential restructuring.
