Portrait gallery to receive £2m funding

A project to renovate the Scottish National Portrait Gallery is to receive funding of £2 million.

• The Scottish National Portrait Gallery

The Scottish Government announced the funding boost for the Portrait of the Nation project, which aims to restore the building and double the amount of gallery space.

The building on Edinburgh's Queen Street is due to reopen in November this year following its closure in 2009.

Culture minister Fiona Hyslop said the money would be an important part of ensuring the redevelopment of the world's first purpose-built portrait gallery.

She said: "The renovated National Portrait Gallery will be a celebration of Scottish art, culture and history, displaying one of our most valued collections in an impressive and innovative space in time for the Year of Creativity in 2012.

"We have been a strong supporter of the redevelopment of the Portrait Gallery and I am pleased to commit this additional support to complete the building work, enabling the National Galleries to move to their next fundraising phase."

The funding ensures that renovations to the building can be completed, while work to restore its original features can also continue. The gallery first opened in 1889.

John Leighton, director general of the National Galleries of Scotland, said the refurbishment had been one of their top priorities.

He said: "The project is fully on track and the building is set to reopen on time later this year.

"The transformation within the building is simply stunning and we are delighted that this boost in funding from the Government will now enable us to concentrate on raising funds for the new programmes, activities and displays at the Portrait Gallery."