Call for shake-up of cash share-out to Scotland's galleries and museums

A STUDY of Scotland's museums and galleries has recommended government support is "rebalanced" for a fairer distribution of funding across the country.

The main body for the sector is demanding the Scottish Government reallocates money currently ring-fenced for the Edinburgh-based national collections.

Museums Galleries Scotland, which represents some 350 members across the country, warns that some attractions will reach "breaking point" soon, unless a shake-up is ordered.

The call could lead to major cutbacks for organisations running attractions, such as the National Museum of Scotland, the National Gallery of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, which could also be forced to loan out more of their collections around the country.

But senior officials last night warned of the dangers of "dissipating" the world-class status of the national collections.

The MGS study found widespread fears that museums and galleries across Scotland may be forced to close because of spending pressures that councils are expected to come under over the next few years.

The National Galleries of Scotland and National Museums Scotland are the only bodies to receive direct support from the Scottish Government. They receive a total of 35.7 million.

Glasgow's museums and galleries receive no direct government support, although Kelvingrove is the nation's most popular attraction.

Local authorities have to bid to Museums Galleries Scotland, which had a total budget of 4.9m last year.

A recent round of funding to allocate 750,000 in extra resources from the government attracted some 3 million worth of bids.

The MGS report will now be considered by culture minister Fiona Hyslop as part of a government review of the museums and galleries sector. A think-tank is due to make recommendations in the summer.

The report said the sector was arguing strongly for "a proportionate and fair rebalance of funding across the sector and all of Scotland".

It said there was widespread concern that "the ministerial and government lens for looking at the overall museums and galleries sector required refocus from a "national collection" view towards a more rounded and Scotland-wide perspective".

The report states: "It was clearly felt that the national collections currently take a disproportionate balance of funding and attention from a government and political perspective."

Joanne Orr, chief executive of MGS, said: "In the current financial climate, competitive tourism environment and forecast of public sector cuts, some museums and galleries across the country will shortly reach breaking point.

"This feedback underlines that an adjustment to a balanced, cross-Scotland view is needed."

John Leighton, director-general of the National Galleries of Scotland, and Dr Gordon Rintoul, director of National Museums Scotland, issued a statement last night calling for greater government support for the sector as a whole, rather than a redistribution of funding.

They said: "It is difficult to see how the wider museums community and Scottish public could be better served by dissipating the position of the national organisations.

"We recognise other areas of the museums and galleries sector have a crucial role to play in delivering key government priorities, and to do so they require better and more consistent funding."

Ms Hyslop said: "It is no secret that the museums sector faces significant challenges."

WHERE IT GOES

Funding currently allocated by Scottish Government:

National Museums Scotland - 22m

National Galleries of Scotland - 13.75m

Museums Galleries Scotland (a fund which is available to local authorities and independent trusts to bid for) - 4.9m