Opening date revealed for Aberdeen Art Gallery

Aberdeen council chiefs have revealed that the city art gallery will reopen in November.

The historic A-listed building was closed for refurbishment in 2015 for 21 new gallery spaces to be built along with an area for artists-in-residence and a dedicated community gallery.

The ambitious revamp, which will also include improvements to visitor facilities, will cost a total of £34.6 million.

Aberdeen City Council has now confirmed that the art gallery will reopen on November 2.

Council co-leader Douglas Lumsden said: “Aberdeen Art Gallery is a jewel in the city’s crown and the restoration and expansion is creating a world-class attraction.

“The cultural offering in Aberdeen has changed beyond all recognition in recent years and this project is of huge significance not only regionally but also in terms of our national and international standing.”

Improvement works include a new top floor which will house three national and international touring exhibitions each year.

There will also be a more welcoming entrance area along with better retail and catering facilities.

The project has received £10 million of funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and £14.6m from Aberdeen City Council’s non-housing capital fund.

More than £4m has been raised by businesses and members of the public to pay for the remainder of the costs.

The gallery is home to one of the finest art collections in the UK, including works by important Scottish artists such as Henry Raeburn, Joan Eardley and Samuel Peploe, as well as nationally and internationally-acclaimed artists.

Riona McMorrow, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s acting head of Scotland, said: “It’s fantastic news that the eagerly-awaited transformation of Aberdeen Art Gallery will soon be opening its doors to the public.

“Thanks to National Lottery investment, the region will have a gallery worthy of the exceptional art works it houses.”

The the SNP Group Leader, Councillor Stephen Flynn, welcomed the opening, but said: “The Art Gallery redevelopment has been plagued by delays and overspends, and when it finally opens will be verging on three years late.

“It’s just not good enough for a cultural hub in our city to be closed for almost five years – lessons simply have to be learned.”