Government confirms its cash pledge to Glasgow arts venues

The Scottish Government has confirmed a cash injection of £7m to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) towards an extension to Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. The new venue, which will also benefit from £5m from Glasgow City Council, will include a flexible 600-seat auditorium which will double as a rehearsal space. It will be adjacent to the existing Royal Concert Hall, and will be home to the RSNO’s administrative offices, practice rooms and an education facility: the organisation is currently based in a converted church outside the city centre, which can accommodate rehearsals but not performances and is expensive to maintain. A Government pledge of £4m to improve front-of-house areas and disabled access at the 19th century Theatre Royal Glasgow has also been confirmed. That venue is owned by Scottish Opera but leased by Ambassador Theatre Group, and Scottish Opera is looking to private donors for the £7m needed to complete the project.
The aim is for both re-developments to be completed in time for the Commonwealth Games in 2014, and Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop described the investment as helping the venues to play “a crucial role in showcasing Scotland’s world-renowned culture and creativity”. The announcement has been warmly welcomed by the RSNO. Leading Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti described the current conditions that musicians and staff work in as “far from ideal”, and expressed surprise at how much is achieved by the organisation in its current situation: “I’m fortunate enough to visit some of the finest rehearsal and concert venues around the world and this development will only improve Scotland’s image as an international musical community.”