National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) have declared they are facing a £40m funding shortage in 2025.
NGS are responsible for managing the National Portrait, Modern One and Modern Two galleries in Edinburgh. Due to a lack of funding from Holyrood, NGS say there is a risk of shutting one gallery down entirely.
The National Galleries of Scotland attracted over 2.4 million visitors in 2023. Notable pieces include works by Paul Cezanne, Paul Gaugin, and Vincent Van Gogh.
Staffing and maintenance costs are cited as reasons for the shortage in funding.
“It’s really disappointing especially because Edinburgh is a city that values the arts and has such a rich culture,” said one History of Art student at the University of Edinburgh.
The government has already granted £34m to culture funding for 2025/26. NGS have been allocated a 9 per cent increase of funding to its current financial plan, but say this will not cover staffing and maintenance costs.
A report for Holyrood’s culture committee estimated that around £17.5m is required to upkeep the artworks at the greatest risk and an extra £22.5m is required for other existing maintenance issues.
The gallery buildings themselves have suffered from electrical problems and leaks in recent years. This £40m shortage in funding does not include coverage of prospective maintenance problems.
Art students have called it “another blow to the creative fields” which are constantly being undermined, underfunded, and undervalued.
The cost of entry to the National Galleries is free due to the UK Government’s policy to encourage access to culture. It remains to be seen whether a charge for entry to the museums will be introduced, but a more likely alternative is to reduce opening hours to the museums.
“Complete closure of a gallery would be a terrible waste. Introducing a small admissions charge should eb the last resort – not a closure.”
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