Melbourne's ACMI cuts staff, programs

Melbourne's Australian Centre for Moving Image (ACMI)--host of last year's Game Masters exhibition--has announced it will be cutting back its exhibition programs this year in a bid to cut costs.

Under the new changes--as reported by The Age--ACMI will cut 17 full-time and casual jobs, shorten its opening hours and feature only two exhibitions per year.

According to ACMI director and chief executive Tony Sweeney, the centre is struggling in the face of the global economic crisis, reduced visitor spending and a freeze on government grants.

''We need to make changes in response to ensure our continued success and ongoing sustainability,'' Sweeney said.

ACMI has hosted many video game exhibitions in the past, including last year's Game Masters exhibition, as well as the Best of the Independent Games Festival 2011 and the ongoing Game On exhibition.