ABSTRACT
The potential for blockbusters to increase visitation and contribute to local economies has filtered down into regional areas in Australia, where there is experimentation with blockbusters, albeit on a smaller scale. These regional institutions are funded by local municipal governments, yet many are seeking additional support to invest in infrastructure and develop professional capacity in order to secure international exhibitions that will foster tourism and generate a wider economic benefit. Murray Art Museum Albury and Bendigo provide examples of the expansion beyond capital cities of this competitive, events-based tourism strategy, in which exhibitions are used as drawcards. Underpinning the history of large temporary exhibitions is a broader trend towards the corporatisation of museums, and a subsequent focus on economic sustainability that has forced museums to search for funding from sources beyond government budgets, whether federal, state or local. Exhibition programs have helped to meet this changing need, through sponsorship, merchandising, public and educational programs, cafe patronage and associated revenue-raising opportunities.
