Eye-catching wrap unveiled around Aberdeen Art Gallery

13 July 2016

A huge wrap was unveiled today (Wed) which covers the front of Aberdeen Art Gallery while it undergoes a £30million transformation.

The eye-catching 12metre x 40metre wrap “Invest in Art and Music – It’s Your Gallery”, which features a glimpse of what the new gallery will look like when it re-opens in late 2017, was formally unveiled by the Leader of Aberdeen City Council, Councillor Jenny Laing.

Councillor Laing was joined by the Deputy Leader of Aberdeen City Council, Councillor Marie Boulton and Maire Lanaghan, trustee on Board of Trustees, Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums Development Trust.

The transformation project ‘Inspiring Art and Music’ will restore Aberdeen Art Gallery's complex of buildings including Cowdray Hall and the Hall of Remembrance. It will create a rooftop gallery, new educational facilities, offering opportunities for all to learn more about the arts, a 500 square metre space in which to showcase international-quality exhibitions and a new purpose-built community gallery.

The planned upgrading of the Cowdray Hall will include the creation of additional seating, which will allow more people to enjoy performances, while the facilities for performers will also be enhanced.

The Remembrance Hall will also be carefully renovated to reflect its role as a space for quiet contemplation, a civic space to honour the sacrifices made on behalf of the community, as well as encourage its wider use within the overall building complex. There will be a Gallery of Memories on the new first floor balcony, which will contribute to making that sacrifice relevant to today’s generation.

A Heritage Lottery Fund grant of almost £10million has already been awarded for the redevelopment programme. Aberdeen City Council has committed £10million from its Non-Housing Capital Fund towards the overall cost, with a public and philanthropic fundraising campaign for the remaining £10million. At the time of the last report to the Council’s Finance, Policy and Resources Committee on Tuesday 07 June (2016) £594,363 had been raised. As of today (13 July) that figure now stands at £612,000.

Council leader Jenny Laing said: “The premise of the fundraising campaign is that we help reignite a passion among the people of Aberdeen for art, music and culture.

“We believe that this incredible redevelopment of what is truly the jewel in Aberdeen’s cultural crown will help citizens rediscover the wonder of art and culture.

“Aberdeen Art Gallery belongs to the people and this fundraising offers each and every one of us an opportunity to take a personal stake in the new gallery and become gatekeepers for culture in this city. We are building a cultural legacy for our children and our children’s children which will endure for generations.”

Deputy Leader of Aberdeen City Council, Councillor Marie Boulton added: “The redevelopment of Aberdeen Art Gallery’s will not only be of huge benefit for the cultural life of the city, but it will also have a significant economic impact by attracting bigger exhibitions, from further afield, which will in turn attract more people to the gallery and indeed the city.”

Maire Lanaghan, trustee on Board of Trustees, Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums Development Trust, said: “The wrap now covering the front of Aberdeen Art Gallery is eye-catching so it will definitely get passers-by thinking and talking about the redevelopment, which I am sure, will encourage people to donate so they too can be part of this legacy project.”

Donations to the redevelopment can be made to Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums Development Trust (SCIO No SC045363) by text. Please Text AAGM001 to 70970 to donate £5 or to donate £10, please text AAGM001 to 70191.

Alternatively, donations can also be made by cheque, in cash, or by card over the phone by contacting Michael Hodgson, campaign manager, on 01224 523670 or MHodgson@aberdeencity.gov.uk

Those who donate £2,500 or more can become a member of the exclusive group of 300 Founder Patrons.

For more information on the redevelopment and for details of exhibitions and activities being held during the gallery’s redevelopment visit:

During the building work at Aberdeen Art Gallery and Cowdray Hall there is a continuing programme of art and music, including at Aberdeen Maritime Museum and the Tolbooth Museum. Collections can also be seen at other venues in the city and Aberdeenshire and will be on loan to other organisations in the UK and abroad.