Gallery handed £1.75m funding boost

Jan 26 2012

An additional £1.75 million of Government funding has been committed to Scotland's newest gallery over the next three years, the Culture Secretary has announced.

Scottish Government support for the new V&A at Dundee is now more than £18 million, including the £15 million capital investment already confirmed.

The new revenue funding was announced by Fiona Hyslop on a visit to Dundee's waterfront where the new museum will be built. Preparatory work at the site began on Monday.

The Culture Secretary said: "The V&A at Dundee is an international cultural project which has the potential to bring great benefits to the city and the whole of Scotland.

"It will attract visitors from all over the world and presents an opportunity to strengthen Dundee's reputation as a centre for the creative industries. In the Year of Creative Scotland 2012, I am delighted to confirm the Scottish Government is making a further £1.75 million available to the V&A at Dundee.

"These additional funds will be used to support key activities associated with the project including programming exhibitions, developing education programmes, working with designers and creative practitioners, and fundraising.

"Our significant financial contribution will enable the V&A at Dundee - with its iconic waterfront building - to work towards opening in 2015, placing the project at the centre of Dundee's regeneration.

"It is fantastic to see investigative work under way to prepare the site for construction. With employment in that sector in Scotland predicted to grow at nearly twice the UK average over the next few years, it is clear this Government's decision to continue investing in capital projects such as this is paying dividends for jobs and the economy."

Philip Long, Director of the V&A at Dundee, said: "The Culture Secretary's announcement today assures that work can continue on the development of V&A at Dundee, from planning through to implementation and opening.

"V&A at Dundee will show major exhibitions of international design, celebrate our own design heritage, inspire and help develop contemporary talent, and encourage design innovation for the future. We are delighted to have the Scottish Government's continuing wholehearted support for this vision."