Aberdeen Arts Centre could be saved after £20million funding boost

Aberdeen Arts Centre could be saved, following news that the council will receive a £20million grant.

The funding in question is from the UK government and is aimed at assisting local councils to “revive high streets, parks and public spaces.” The £5 billion investment aims to support communities across 339 neighbourhoods nationwide as part of the Government’s new Pride in Place program. Under this fund, 169 regions will receive £2 million annually for a decade to provide stability in future planning, totalling £3.5 billion. This is in addition to an existing commitment to 75 regions, costing £1.5 billion.

Announced by the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer said he wanted people “with real skin in the game” to decide how it is spent.

Both the Highlands and Western Isles are also due to benefit from the grant, with both regions also receiving £20m each. Councils are also set to be given new powers to save local pubs and libraries, and block unwanted betting and vape shops, as well as “fake barbers.”

With the Arts Centre still at risk of closure after the withholding of previous funds by Aberdeen City Council, advocates for the venue are calling for a portion of the £20 million grant to be directed towards it.

M Tauqeer Malik, the leader of the Aberdeen Labour group on the council, welcomed the funding and expressed hopes that it could be used to prevent the Arts Centre from shutting down.

He told the Press & Journal:

“It is great news that the UK Labour government is to fund Aberdeen with up to £20 million to bring back pride to our city. I want to see this money being used in regeneration areas to tackle anti-social behaviours, to improve amenities and community facilities right across our city.”

“The UK Labour £20 million plan should also help save the Aberdeen Arts Centre, which does some wonderful work for the arts in our city.”

“I would hope the council collectively can get behind Castlegate Arts and get in its financial support it deserves.”

Aberdeen Arts Centre’s 60-year history makes it a significant cultural landmark. Established in 1963 in a converted 19th-century church building, it was the first venue of its kind in Scotland. The venue survived previous closure threats in the late 1990s when the Aberdeen Arts Centre Association, led by Annie Inglis MBE, established Castlegate Arts Ltd to secure its future.

The venue encompasses a 350-seater auditorium, café bar, flexible performance spaces, and the historic Children’s Theatre – originally opened by Catherine Hollingworth in the 1950s as the UK’s first youth theatre of its kind. Notable supporters of the current campaign include actors Laura Main, Amy Lennox, and Brian Cox, along with Hollywood director Jon S. Baird.

The venue’s community impact was recently highlighted by it being shortlisted for a Celebrate Aberdeen Awards nomination, and extends beyond performance hosting. Aberdeen Arts Centre provides Creative Learning programmes for all ages and Artist Development support for professional creatives. Many users face significant participation barriers, making the centre’s accessible approach particularly valuable for Aberdeen’s cultural ecosystem.

As Aberdeen continues its major regeneration programme with substantial government backing, the future of grassroots cultural venues like Aberdeen Arts Centre remains central to the city’s cultural ambitions.

In May 2025, the venue launched the Save Aberdeen Arts Centre campaign – a three-year fundraising drive to raise £660,000 to secure its future.

Despite unwillingness from Aberdeen City Council to ensure the venue’s survival, Castlegate Arts has vowed to fight on, gaining praise for what supporter Councillor Grant called their “slick, smart, positive, inspiring, non-political’ fundraising campaign. So far, the campaign has raised over £105k in donations.

Individuals and potential corporate sponsors can continue to donate  via https://www.aberdeenartscentre.com/save-aberdeen-arts-centre.