The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is to set up an outpost in Dundee, Scotland. Although branded as “V&A at Dundee”, the project will be locally funded and run.
The new exhibition building will be on the waterfront, in the area between the Tay Road Bridge and Discovery Point, where council offices are being demolished. A precise site will be selected in October, and this will be followed by an architectural competition. Capital costs of the project are likely to be more than £40m.
V&A at Dundee will have a series of spaces. There will be a large temporary exhibition gallery, to host travelling shows from the V&A in London. The plan is to normally have two V&A exhibitions a year and one touring show from elsewhere. In addition, there will be a gallery to showcase Scottish art and design, presented in an international context. This will be curated at Dundee with outside loans, but probably with an input from V&A curators and loans. Discussions are underway about a long-term display of contemporary design, supported with loans from the V&A. It is hoped the galleries will attract 500,000 visitors a year (the V&A in London gets 2.5m).
The V&A stresses that it is providing support, but not funding. The V&A at Dundee steering group, which is setting up the project, comprises Dundee City Council, Scottish Enterprise, the Universities of Dundee and Abertay, and the V&A.
It will be up to Dundee to secure the £40m capital cost. However, the Scottish government has now given its backing, and on 17 August culture minister Michael Russell promised “a significant commitment of support”, although the size of the grant will not be set until the next spending review. The Heritage Lottery Fund is also likely to be approached for an award. Running costs are likely to be the primary responsibility of Dundee City Council. If fundraising goes well, V&A at Dundee could open in 2014.
The V&A has one similar operation, with Sheffield. The London museum provides some exhibitions for the Millennium Gallery, which was opened in 2001 by Museums Sheffield, but the relationship with Dundee will go much further, in that the V&A is more actively involved in setting up the Scottish venture. Discussions are also currently underway about a V&A at Blackpool project, and Blackpool Council is now assembling a funding package.
The new exhibition building will be on the waterfront, in the area between the Tay Road Bridge and Discovery Point, where council offices are being demolished. A precise site will be selected in October, and this will be followed by an architectural competition. Capital costs of the project are likely to be more than £40m.
V&A at Dundee will have a series of spaces. There will be a large temporary exhibition gallery, to host travelling shows from the V&A in London. The plan is to normally have two V&A exhibitions a year and one touring show from elsewhere. In addition, there will be a gallery to showcase Scottish art and design, presented in an international context. This will be curated at Dundee with outside loans, but probably with an input from V&A curators and loans. Discussions are underway about a long-term display of contemporary design, supported with loans from the V&A. It is hoped the galleries will attract 500,000 visitors a year (the V&A in London gets 2.5m).
The V&A stresses that it is providing support, but not funding. The V&A at Dundee steering group, which is setting up the project, comprises Dundee City Council, Scottish Enterprise, the Universities of Dundee and Abertay, and the V&A.
It will be up to Dundee to secure the £40m capital cost. However, the Scottish government has now given its backing, and on 17 August culture minister Michael Russell promised “a significant commitment of support”, although the size of the grant will not be set until the next spending review. The Heritage Lottery Fund is also likely to be approached for an award. Running costs are likely to be the primary responsibility of Dundee City Council. If fundraising goes well, V&A at Dundee could open in 2014.
The V&A has one similar operation, with Sheffield. The London museum provides some exhibitions for the Millennium Gallery, which was opened in 2001 by Museums Sheffield, but the relationship with Dundee will go much further, in that the V&A is more actively involved in setting up the Scottish venture. Discussions are also currently underway about a V&A at Blackpool project, and Blackpool Council is now assembling a funding package.
Website : V&A
Bron/Source : The Art Newspaper
