Major Edinburgh art project in limbo amid funding concerns

The Herald Scotland

03-06-2025

The National Galleries of Scotland has been left in limbo after spending more than a decade pursuing plans for The Art Works - a purpose-built complex designed to open up access to its vast collection.
It was previously announced that 97% of Scottish public art would be housed at the new complex.
However, 20 months after securing planning permission, the National Galleries has admitted that it does not have the 'vital' finance in place to allow work to start on what it has described as a 'world-class home for more than 120,000 works of art".
The Scottish Government, which has already committed nearly £10m to the project, has said it is still exploring how to ensure it will deliver the "best value for money".
Earmarked for a site on Granton Park Avenue equivalent to the side of two playing fields, The Art Works is intended to bring the National Galleries collection, which is currently stored across several buildings under the one roof in a 'future-proofed' complex.
Work on The Art Works project in Granton was supposed to start in 2024. (Image: John McAslan & Partners)
It has warned that its existing collection facilities are 'over capacity and not fit for purpose' months after bosses revealed they had to raised an estimated £40 million over the next 10 months to carry tackle a 'backlog' of repairs at National Galleries buildings in the city to reduce the risk of a 'catastrophic' incident which damages works of art.
The National Galleries of Scotland has been unable to start work on its next major building project, The Art Works, in Granton. (Image: John McAslan & Partners.)
As well as delivering hugely-improved conditions and access for conservation and research, it will also be opened to the public to allow visitors to see how works of art are being stored and watch experts at work.
Local schools and community groups will be encouraged to use the building, while there will be two new 'green routes' through the grounds of the complex as part of efforts to establish it as a new focal point for Granton.
Work on The Art Works project in Granton was supposed to start in 2024. (Image: John McAslan + Partners)
The Art Works has long been seen as critical to efforts to establish Granton as a new cultural hub, but has been overtaken by several other projects over recent months.
While the National Galleries project has stalled, a £17.5m transformation of Granton's historic gasholder has created a new public park and amphitheatre for events, while Granton's historic railway station building has been converted into studios for artists.
Elsewhere, a former warehouse complex has become home to The Pitt, a new year-round events venue, street food market and creative industries hub.
The Scottish Government has already provided £9.3m to help pay for planning, survey works and early designs of the project, which was first announced in 2017 with a £75m price tag.
The current estimated costs of realising the vision for the project have not been disclosed by the National Galleries, which insists it is still pursuing the project on the same scale as the scheme which received planning permission in November 2023.
At the time, architects John McAslan & Partners, who worked on the transformation of the Burrell Collection in Glasgow and have been working on the Granton project since 2017, said they expected work to start on site in 2024.
At the time, associate director Peter Lee said there were ambitions for The Art Works to become 'a destination that will kick-start other cultural initiatives in the area," as well as "contribute to economic sustainability by providing jobs and opportunities for other businesses, and support community pride and wellbeing."
However, the National Galleries has admitted that it is unable to start work until it has 'anchor funding' for the project, which is earmarked for a site owned by the Scottish Government.
The UK Government, which funded the 'Gasholder Park' project to the tune of £16.4m, has also been approached about the possibility of funding The Art Works.
A spokeswoman for the National Galleries said: 'The Scottish Government has provided £9.3m of capital funds to date for The Art Works.
'This has enabled the National Galleries of Scotland to carry out extensive planning, survey works and technical design for The Art Works, which led to planning permission being granted at the end of 2023.
'However, we are yet to receive commitment from the Government for the vital anchor funding required to allow us to proceed with plans for this state-of-the-art building.
'There is a funding strategy in place, which starts with anchor funding from the Government. It is essential that we receive this initial anchor funding for us to implement further plans and seek further funding.
'When this anchor funding has been secured, we plan to source additional funds from private funds, donors and corporate partners.
'We have a successful track record in fundraising for capital projects and we are confident we will be able to secure the funds once we have the (anchor funding) commitment.'
The National Galleries said it was too early to give a projected timeline for the project or an estimated cost.
The spokeswoman added: 'Preparatory works have been undertaken on the land, these include surveys of the site and preparations in readiness for on-site enabling works and construction works.
'We have also begun planning and preparing the collection for movement once The Art Works build is completed.
'It will be a world-class, innovative storage and research building, which is vital to care for Scotland's art collection, now and in the future. We still aim to deliver the project to the same scale. Our current storage is over capacity and no longer fit for purpose.
'The National Galleries of Scotland hasn't yet taken ownership of the land designated for The Art Works and it remains under the control of the Scottish Government.
'In the meantime, we continue to meet with the Scottish Government, Edinburgh City Council and various stakeholders.
'Since the inception of the project we have been keen to ensure that the local community in north Edinburgh is at the heart of The Art Works.
'With this in mind, we have been working with groups across the area, We have worked in partnership with groups across the area, attending community events and festivals, and worked together on projects exploring Scotland's national collection, such as creating murals with artists in the local area.
'By forming these strong relationships early on, we believe that The Art Works will be a welcoming space for local people, offering a space to enjoy art, pop in for coffee with a friend, or attend an event with your family.'
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: 'The Scottish Government has provided £9 million towards The Art Works, this includes design and preparing the land for construction, and the 2025-26 Budget includes a further £3.1 million to progress the project and to cover temporary storage costs in the meantime.
'Discussions are ongoing between the Scottish Government, the National Galleries and the wider collections sector to ensure the project delivers the best value for money from any further Scottish Government investment.'