Banksy exhibit heading to Minneapolis puts price tag on street art

A traveling exhibit of Banksy's art coming to Minneapolis this May will be an expensive ticket, begging the question: would the anonymous street artist even approve?

What's happening: Basic tickets to "The Art of Banksy," an unauthorized exhibition of 100 works from private collectors, range from $40-$70, depending on the day and time.

The confusion: Banksy is known for displaying work in unexpected and public (read: free) places.

The big picture: Traveling exhibits like "The Art of Banksy" and "Immersive Van Gogh," which also stopped in Minneapolis, are raking in some serious cash.

• "Immersive Van Gogh," run by the same group, sold 4.5 million tickets across North America, as of late December 2021, according to MarketWatch. That's roughly $250 million in revenue, not including gift shop sales. Tickets to that exhibit started at $40, too.

Zoom in: Even on a weekday, tickets for the new Banksy exhibit are at least double the price of a typical Twin Cities art museum.

• The well-established Walker Art Center will run you about $15.
• The Minneapolis Institute of Art, which is almost entirely free, has a rotating paid exhibit for $20 per person.

What they're saying: Because the company behind "The Art of Banksy" isn't a nonprofit, it's not eligible for the grants, funding or tax benefits other museums can receive, spokesperson Nick Harkin told Axios late Monday.

• "We must fund the exhibition in its entirety…so it ends up being a costly endeavor," he said.

What to watch: Time will tell whether the Banksy exhibit will face the same cold shoulder from critics as "Immersive Van Gogh" last year.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to add a statement from the exhibit's organizers.