A guerrilla initiative called the Artist Membership Project has been operating for three months near London's Tate Modern, using hidden lockboxes to share museum membership cards among more than 600 cash-strapped artists and recent graduates. The underground scheme allows participants to access free temporary exhibitions by retrieving membership cards from lockboxes using codes shared through a WhatsApp group, much to the frustration of the city's major art institutions.

Curator Ben Broome, who launched the project as part mutual aid initiative and part artwork, estimates that participants have collectively saved thousands of dollars in museum entry fees. Broome describes the initiative as having "a little bit clandestine, a little bit punk" quality, with "a sprinkling of low-level anarchy" that has resonated strongly with the artist community. The project emerged after Broome visited a recent graduate who couldn't afford the $22 entry fee to see an exhibition at Tate Britain.

The financial struggles of UK artists provided the catalyst for Broome's scheme. A 2024 study revealed that the median annual salary for artists in the UK was just $15,600 per year, representing a 40% decrease since 2010. This stark reality motivated Broome to email a dozen friends who run commercial art galleries, asking each to donate $125 to fund the project.

With the collected funds, Broome purchased membership cards to nine major institutions, including Tate Modern, Tate Britain, the Courtauld Gallery, the National Gallery, and the National Portrait Gallery. These cards are concealed in lockboxes placed near the museums, with locations and access codes distributed through the WhatsApp group. The system operates on a simple principle: participants retrieve a card, use it to gain free entry to exhibitions, and return it for others to use.

Broome acknowledges understanding why institutions must charge for exhibitions, noting that shows cost thousands of dollars to stage. However, he argues that charging artists alienates "the very audience that makes these institutions great in the first place." He points to the Museum of Modern Art in New York as a positive example, which offers heavily subsidized artist memberships requiring only proof of artistic practice, such as a website or social media presence.

The project's rapid growth demonstrates significant demand for affordable access to cultural institutions. Within days of launching, the WhatsApp group expanded rapidly, with cards being used multiple times daily. This enthusiasm suggests a strong appetite for concessionary rates similar to those offered by some international museums.

Art institutions have responded with mixed reactions to the unauthorized sharing scheme. A Tate spokesperson emphasized that unlike many museums abroad, UK national museums offer free general admission to all visitors, including artists, made possible through member support and exhibition income. Representatives from the Royal Academy and the Victoria and Albert Museum noted that temporary exhibitions serve as major revenue sources for their operations.

All institutions involved have pointed out that their membership terms and conditions expressly prohibit card sharing. They also highlight existing accessibility measures, including free entry days, occasional pay-what-you-can events, and reduced prices for visitors under 25 or those receiving government benefits.

Broome maintains that the project addresses intertwined problems rooted in governmental failures: the dire financial situation of the public arts sector and artists' inability to afford exhibition access. He argues that the target audience for his scheme likely wouldn't visit these institutions otherwise, making it beneficial to get them through the doors. This perspective gains relevance considering that visitor numbers across London's arts institutions remain over 30% below 2019 levels following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some arts leaders have shown support for the underlying concerns raised by the project. Gilane Tawadros, director of the Whitechapel Gallery, told reporters she fully understands the need for artists to share resources given prohibitively expensive ticket prices. She emphasized that seeing artwork is vital for artists and suggested that arts institutions should consider more ways to support and nurture artist communities.

The project has faced institutional pushback, with the Barbican canceling Broome's membership card earlier this month due to "suspicious activity." When he crowdfunded for a replacement under a different name, that card was also promptly canceled. However, a Barbican spokesperson recently indicated the gallery will reach out to explore alternative options.

Practical challenges have also emerged as the project continues. Some membership cards have become "so soggy from being out in the elements that they're practically unusable," according to Broome, while at least one lockbox has seized up completely. These operational difficulties reflect the makeshift nature of the guerrilla scheme.

Broome acknowledges that the project was never intended to create permanent infrastructure for indefinite free exhibition access. Instead, he designed it to demonstrate the precarious financial situation facing artists and highlight the need for alternative access models. In this regard, he believes the initiative has succeeded in its primary objective of raising awareness and prompting discussion about accessibility in the arts sector.