Gallery closure: Lothian Labour MSP Sarah Boyack calls on Scottish Government to step in over arts and culture cash crisis

‘Arts and culture organisations are on the brink of collapse’

Lothian Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has called for urgent action to help save Scotland’s arts and culture sector after a cash crisis forced one of Scotland’s most important galleries to close for the rest of the year.

The Modern Two art gallery in Edinburgh, which is part of the National Galleries of Scotland, has shut its doors to the public until next year due to rising energy bills.

Ms Boyack, who is Scottish Labour’s spokesperson for culture, said the move reflected the wider issues the sector is facing and called on the Scottish Government to step in.

She said: “Our arts and culture organisations are on the brink of collapse. Many are fighting for survival. They are struggling to cope with the perfect storm of reduced incomes, skyrocketing energy bills and inflation.

“Earlier this month, we found out that Falkirk Town Hall, the Filmhouse in Edinburgh, the Belmont in Aberdeen and the Edinburgh International Film Festival have all gone under.”

Ms Boyack said she had asked the government last month about ensuring that museums and galleries remained free to access in light of the cost of living crisis. Culture minister Neil Gray told her that as part of setting annual budgets the Scottish Government kept in close contact with National Museums Scotland and the National Galleries of Scotland about their cost and revenue, in order to ensure their permanent collections remained open to the public free of charge.

But she said: “The reality on the ground tells us a very different story. Instead of rhetoric and empty promises, we need the government to deliver the urgent action the arts and culture sector needs at this moment of crisis.”