A major modern-art centre is to open in Aberdeen by 2010 - but a spending squeeze by Aberdeen City Council means that the city's art gallery will have to close its doors one day a week.
Core funding for the new £13.1m centre, which will host temporary exhibitions rather than a permanent collection, will be provided by the Scottish Arts Council and economic development agency Scottish Enterprise Grampian.
Peacock Visual Arts, Aberdeen's main modern visual-arts organisation, is leading the project. The council is offering Peacock Visual Arts a loan towards the capital cost of the project.
Elly Rothnie, Peacock's campaign director, said the organisation received revenue funding from the city council and Scottish Arts Council.
She added that she expected the city council to continue to support Peacock's programming "at a similar level" in the new space.
A fundraising campaign will be launched to secure financial backing from companies and individuals for the new centre, which will be located in the Union Terrace Gardens.
It aims to attract 200,000 visitors a year. Aberdeen Art Gallery welcomed 207,179 visitors in 2006-07, but Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums service, which comprises four venues including the gallery and Aberdeen Maritime Museum, has had its funding for 2008-09 cut by £180,000 to £2.35m.
Christine Rew, manager at Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums, said "a reduction in service and exhibitions will be applied to all Art Gallery and Museums venues". Aberdeen Art Gallery, for example, will open six days a week instead of seven.
A city council spokesman was keen to point out that "there is no linkage between the revenue savings required in the 2008-09 budget for Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums service and the capital funding for Peacock Visual Arts' proposed contemporary arts centre."
The financial overhaul increases speculation that the local authority aims to convert Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums to trust status. The city council spokesman confirmed that trust status was one possible option for the future, but added that no such decision had been taken or was imminent.
The city council's arts education and arts development departments, as well as the CityMoves dance agency, will also be based in the new building.
London-based architects Brisac Gonzalez have been commissioned to design the proposed venue.
Core funding for the new £13.1m centre, which will host temporary exhibitions rather than a permanent collection, will be provided by the Scottish Arts Council and economic development agency Scottish Enterprise Grampian.
Peacock Visual Arts, Aberdeen's main modern visual-arts organisation, is leading the project. The council is offering Peacock Visual Arts a loan towards the capital cost of the project.
Elly Rothnie, Peacock's campaign director, said the organisation received revenue funding from the city council and Scottish Arts Council.
She added that she expected the city council to continue to support Peacock's programming "at a similar level" in the new space.
A fundraising campaign will be launched to secure financial backing from companies and individuals for the new centre, which will be located in the Union Terrace Gardens.
It aims to attract 200,000 visitors a year. Aberdeen Art Gallery welcomed 207,179 visitors in 2006-07, but Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums service, which comprises four venues including the gallery and Aberdeen Maritime Museum, has had its funding for 2008-09 cut by £180,000 to £2.35m.
Christine Rew, manager at Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums, said "a reduction in service and exhibitions will be applied to all Art Gallery and Museums venues". Aberdeen Art Gallery, for example, will open six days a week instead of seven.
A city council spokesman was keen to point out that "there is no linkage between the revenue savings required in the 2008-09 budget for Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums service and the capital funding for Peacock Visual Arts' proposed contemporary arts centre."
The financial overhaul increases speculation that the local authority aims to convert Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums to trust status. The city council spokesman confirmed that trust status was one possible option for the future, but added that no such decision had been taken or was imminent.
The city council's arts education and arts development departments, as well as the CityMoves dance agency, will also be based in the new building.
London-based architects Brisac Gonzalez have been commissioned to design the proposed venue.
