A project to create a new home for Scotland’s national art collection has secured £8.5 million in funding.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded the funding to the National Galleries of Scotland for its The Art Works plan.
The free-to-visit Passivhaus collections store will be built in Granton, in the north of Edinburgh. Some 130,000 artworks – many not seen by the public in decades – will be on show inside.
Less than 3% of Scotland’s art is currently on display in the National Galleries of Scotland’s venues or out on loan – including paintings, sculpture, photography, and archive material. The remaining 97% is stored across several sites in Edinburgh, many not designed for the long-term care of nationally important artworks.
The National Galleries of Scotland explained that The Art Works will help it achieve its ambition of ensuring that every child in Scotland has the opportunity to experience the nation’s art.
The funding boost is a ‘significant’ milestone for the project, with plans to begin construction ‘as soon as possible’. The facility will include public viewing spaces, conservation studios, digitisation facilities, education rooms, and spaces for local groups to book. Visitors will be able to explore thousands of artworks spanning more than 700 years, see conservation work in action, take part in events, learn new skills, meet friends for coffee, or spend time in the grounds.
Acting as a central hub for loans, touring exhibitions and research, The National Galleries of Scotland said it will make it easier for artworks to travel to communities across Scotland, the UK, and around the world. It will also create opportunities for training, apprenticeships, volunteering, and employment linked to conservation, art handling, digitisation and collections care. Research commissioned for the project estimates that increased access to art and cultural activities enabled by The Art Works will generate social and economic benefits worth more than £350 million, with more than £2 returned to Scotland for every £1 invested.
The facility will also strengthen collaboration across Scotland’s cultural sector. Forming part of the wider National Collections Hub complex in Granton, The Art Works will support partnership with organisations including National Museums Scotland. The building will also store collections from the Royal Scottish Academy, the Demarco Archive Trust and ARTIST ROOMS, jointly owned with Tate.
Furthermore, The Art Works will play an important role in Scotland’s transition to a low-carbon future. The National Galleries of Scotland said that it is expected to be the largest cultural Passivhaus building in Scotland, significantly reducing energy use while providing the stable environmental conditions needed to preserve artworks for generations to come.
Eilish McGuinness, chief executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said, “The Art Works is an exciting project which will ensure that this world class collection is not only protected but also shared in unique ways, by opening up public access and supporting a co-design approach with local communities in north Edinburgh.
“This will foster creative learning, skills development, employment, and partnerships, while contributing to cultural regeneration and local pride. It will also use digital technology to make Scotland’s artworks more accessible for everyone, wherever they live. We are delighted to support this transformational project made possible by National Lottery players, which will ensure this outstanding collection is protected, shared and understood.”
