Galleries fear end for era of free entry

ART enthusiasts may have to pay to see Scotland's top collections, if tough funding cuts are imposed.

Admission to the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) in Edinburgh is free, but directors have not ruled out charging for entry if its budget is slashed in the forthcoming Scottish Spending Review.

More than a million people visit the National Galleries, which include the National Gallery complex on the Mound and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, every year. Its five buildings house Scottish and international art dating from the Middle Ages to the present day, cared for by trustees on behalf of the people of Scotland.

Director-general John Leighton said: "With the exception of a brief period in 1974, admission to the permanent collections of NGS has always been free.

The trustees have no plans to introduce admission charges as they regard free admission as a crucial part of the effort to widen audiences. However, our ability to retain free admission will depend entirely on the level of any reductions in grant-in-aid in the Scottish Spending Review."

Chancellor George Osborne unveiled 81 billion of cuts across the UK earlier this month.

The Scottish Government will lose 900,000 from its next budget and about 3bn in total over the four years to 2014-15, according to the Treasury's figures. Finance Secretary John Swinney will reveal where the axe will fall next month.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "We are hopeful that free entry to museums and galleries will remain, however we are dealing with cuts imposed by the Westminster government which are too far and too fast, and decisions on Scotland's budget have yet to be taken.

"Our expectation is that access to the collections is maximised for the owners of the collections - the people of Scotland.

"It is ultimately for the boards of trustees to decide how they will deliver that outcome, but access is one factor we will assess with them in the light of the forthcoming Spending Review announcement."