V&A Dundee is set to receive £2.6 million from the UK Government, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his annual budget.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt unveiled money for the cultural institution during the Westminster government’s budget statement on Wednesday.
It comes alongside a £5m announcement for Perth and Dunfermline’s cultural efforts and £20m in town funding for Arbroath over the next decade.
Perth council leader Grant Laing claimed the Fair City had been “forgotten” in the budget, but welcomed the funding nonetheless.
Cash-strapped Angus Council will only be able to spend the “unexpected” money on Arbroath, the local authority confirmed.
Levelling Up secretary Michael Gove said he was pleased government finally “agreed” the V&A museum was a “significant UK cultural project”, almost six years after opening.
It follows a £20m announcement from the Levelling Up fund for Dundee in November last year.
V&A Dundee budget boost
The cash announcement was welcomed by V&A Dundee director Leonie Bell.
She said the funding would go towards upgrading the permanent Scottish design gallery, on the museum’s first floor.
“V&A Dundee has welcomed over 1.9 million visitors to date and generated over £300 million for the Scottish economy, including over £100 million for Dundee,” she said.
“We are delighted to receive new UK Government Levelling Up support to transform the Scottish Design Galleries, which are at the heart of the museum.
“This new capital funding will enable us to reimagine and expand our permanent galleries, telling a bold and broad story of design from Scotland and the worldwide influence of Scottish design and designers, further enhancing the visitor experience at V&A Dundee.
“As the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design, Dundee is a city in transformation.
“In the first five years since opening, 500,000 people came to Dundee for the first time as part of trips to V&A Dundee.
“We look forward to continuing to welcome many, many more local residents and visitors from across the UK and the world to Scotland’s design museum.”
Mr Gove recently visited the V&A to view the Tartan exhibition.
“I visited the V&A in Dundee to see the Tartan exhibition in 2023,” he said.
“It was absolutely outstanding and I promised the museum and the council leader John Alexander the UK Government would look to support the city and the museum wherever possible.
“I am therefore delighted that, following the announcement last December of our Levelling Up Partnership with Dundee, the chancellor has now agreed the V&A in Dundee is a nationally significant UK cultural project to which we should offer more financial support.
“I know the V&A will put this extra £2.6m to good use and the museum will go from strength to strength, providing an amazing attraction for the people of Dundee and its many visitors from across Scotland, the rest of the UK and abroad.”
Claims Perth “short-changed”
Perth and Dunfermline will each receive £5m from the Levelling Up fund for cultural projects.
These projects will have to be agreed with the Department of Levelling Up before the money is granted.
While the money was welcomed by Perth and Kinross council leader Grant Laing, he warned the city would be feeling “short-changed”
“I welcome any funding that can be used to support the transformation of the Perth and Kinross economy for the benefit of our residents,” the SNP councillor said.
“While I am pleased the chancellor has finally recognised the value of investing in Perth and Kinross, it does seem like we are an afterthought and are losing out compared to what other Scottish cities received through Levelling Up funding.
“The three rounds of Levelling Up funding distributed in Scotland saw £471 million shared between 24 projects.
“Six other Scottish cities have shared funding worth a combined £92 million while seven other towns have received £20 million to support the regeneration of their town centres.
“Given those sums, I won’t be the only one who thinks we have been short-changed and hope we are not forgotten in any future funding announcements.”
Dunfermline is also in line for £5m for cultural projects.
Commenting, SNP MP Douglas Chapman said: “I’ve been raising the issue of Dunfermline’s lack of any Levelling Up funding with Michael Gove for months so it’s good to see that we are due to be the recipient of £5m in capital funding cultural investment.
“As MP I now have to engage with Fife Council to see how this can be best spent.”
Funding for Arbroath
Arbroath will receive £20m over the next 10 years. The money comes from a larger £200m fund for towns.
Angus Council leader Beth Whiteside said: “This Spring Budget announcement provides a welcome investment into our largest urban area.
“We have already committed to the Arbroath Places for Everyone project worth £14m which will support regeneration of the town centre and encourage active travel so we hope that this additional funding will help us to capitalise on that work.
“We hope this will also mean we can focus our existing capital funds on other parts of Angus which also desperately need investment.”
CEO of Angus Council Kathryn Lindsay added: “This funding has come to us due to a shift in the demographics used for profiling Levelling Up investment for which only Arbroath qualifies within Angus.
“We are now keen to explore the detail of the terms of the fund, and how we can support the people of Arbroath, and indeed Angus, to best maximise the opportunities that this unexpected investment will bring.”
Mr Gove said: “It is fantastic the UK Government has been able to extend our Long Term Plan for Towns to a further three Scottish towns. This means that we are now investing £200m in 10 Scottish towns over the next decade.
“It is very exciting that we are spending £20m to help with levelling up in Arbroath.
“This is all about giving towns the tools to change their future.
“Many UK towns face similar challenges and we know that people want to see more investment in regenerating their high streets and town centres.
“I look forward to working with Angus Council as we develop a plan to help Arbroath, and its elected representatives, tackle the issues that matter most to the people that live there.”
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