Laing said with local authority budgets stretched, keeping The Box free to visitors was “difficult”.
“It’s a continual conundrum about how you keep funding an institution like The Box,” she said.
“It’s no secret that local authority budgets are very, very tight. It’s not just Plymouth.
“It’s something we have to continually advocate for because lots of local authorities don’t invest in culture anymore.”
This year saw exhibitions such as Forbidden Territories – 100 years of Surrealism, and Jyll Bradley’s Running and Returning, alongside temporary displays like Remember Respond Resist featuring Grayson Perry’s tapestries, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
“Our five-year impact report really showed the economic impact of the Box and the importance of prioritising cultural activity,” Laing said.