It is now just over three weeks since Aberdeen Arts Centre unveiled its ‘Save Aberdeen Arts Centre’ campaign – a fundraising drive to support its operations after Aberdeen City Council’s finance committee withheld funding to the venue for essential refurbishment.
Aiming to raise £660,000 over the next three years, the six-figure total will cover core running costs as the venue implements a new strategy to remain open for future generations.
The Arts Centre has set an initial target of £180,000 by July 1, 2025. Restoring funding reserves by this date will provide evidence of the centre’s longevity ahead of a planned Aberdeen City Council debate on July 2, where it is hoped elected officials can choose to reinstate funding.
The venue has also launched a suite of corporate sponsorship packages as part of its campaign to save the city’s only grassroots arts venue.
A Hub for Creativity, Inclusion, and Support
The fundraising figure at the date of this article’s publication is currently just over £39,000, and with less than three weeks until the crucial Council meeting, many messages of support have come from those in the professional arts community, such as Evelyn Glennie, actor Brian Cox, ‘Call The Midwife’s Laura Main, and West End star Amy Lennox.
However, Aberdeen Arts Centre’s impact extends far beyond the stage.
As well as being an inclusive space where individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities can perform, learn, and engage with the arts, a perhaps less promoted side of the venue is its involvement with community and charitable organisations, many of which use facilities in the venue.
Adriana Uribe of Grampian Regional Equality Council, is typical in highlighting the venue’s benefit to her organisation :
“The Grampian Regional Equality Council works with communities in Aberdeen facing access barriers and discrimination. GREC is well recognised in Aberdeen thanks to the GREC Language Cafe and Drop In sessions that we host weekly at the Aberdeen Arts Centre. The Arts Centre has become a well known meeting point, where people of all nationalities, age groups, religions, ethnicities, etc can meet up in a friendly open space to become closer and strengthen their sense of community.”
“The Aberdeen Arts Centre is an essential space for us as an organisation and has offered an excellent venue not only for language cafes but also for focus groups, meetings and events where communities and organisations get together.”
Adrian Watson, CEO of Aberdeen Inspired, commented:
“The Arts Centre is a local institution that has done so much over the years in support of local community groups, especially young people, helping them find a path into the arts. Often leading to life-long skills that will secure a brighter future for many of them. This cannot be under-estimated.”
Paul O’Connor MBE, chair of the Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations (ACVO), has also spoken of the profound impact of the venue:
“The board and management team of ACVO recognise the long term success, importance, and achievements of the Arts Centre spanning several decades ,where the organisation has had a profound impact on the cultural, mental health, and wellbeing of Aberdeen’s citizens and those living further afield.
“Not only does the work of the Arts Centre enhance people’s quality of life, the variation of performances, accessibility, quality, and affordability has ensured that the Arts Centre is a place for all to enjoy performing arts without barriers.
“Further, the Arts Centre promotes footfall to the city centre, has a positive impact on the local economy, and delivers services of excellence which must be protected for the common good of Aberdeen’s citizens.”
The Arts Centre itself leads charitable initiatives such as providing free tickets to families in need, ensuring that the transformative power of the arts is accessible to all, especially during the current cost-of-living crisis.
Its Creative Learning and Artist Development programmes support everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals, fostering skills that go well beyond the theatre—teamwork, resilience, self-confidence, and a sense of belonging.
‘Hidden’ Benefits: More Than Just a Venue
Venues like Aberdeen Arts Centre provide what are often termed ‘hidden’ benefits—spaces for social connection, confidence-building, and community resilience that are hard to quantify but deeply felt.
They act as incubators for new talent, safe havens for vulnerable individuals, and engines for local pride and cohesion. The loss of such a space would not only diminish Aberdeen’s cultural life but also erode the social fabric that binds the community together.
As Sharon Robertson, chair of the board of trustees, has emphasised:
“Every contribution, big or small, helps protect this space.“
The Devastating Cost of Closure
If Aberdeen Arts Centre closes, the loss would be profound and far-reaching. It is the only grassroots community theatre in the city, uniquely equipped to host large, inclusive casts and offer affordable space for community groups.
Closure would leave a void for hundreds – especially young people and those from disadvantaged backgrounds – who rely on it for creative expression, life skills, and social support.
As the city faces this critical moment, the message is clear: losing Aberdeen Arts Centre would cause untold damage, not just to the arts, but to the heart and soul of Aberdeen itself.
Individuals and potential corporate sponsors can find out more and donate via https://www.aberdeenartscentre.com/save-aberdeen-arts-centre.
