Two social media posts from Castlegate Arts at the end of last week provided a snapshot of the situation facing the charity and its venue, Aberdeen Arts Centre, which this week remains under the threat of potential closure.
On Friday morning, a post from the venue thanked local comedy group The Flying Pigs for their contribution of over £3,000 to the #saveAberdeenArtsCentre campaign, raised via audience donations to a preview script reading of their upcoming HMT show, which was held at the Arts Centre on Thurs 10th.
This event was just the latest in a long line of fundraising initiatives. All of these have demonstrated a strength of support from the Aberdeen public to the venue, since the #saveAberdeenArtsCentre campaign was launched 7 weeks ago – as shown by the raising of a cumulative total of over £90,000 in that time.
Later on Friday, however, Castlegate Arts were forced to release another statement in reaction to that morning’s meeting of the Aberdeen City Council Finance & Resources Committee, in which the Council doubled down on their previous decision and again voted against awarding vital funding to Castlegate Arts.
Castlegate Arts Statement:
“We are deeply disappointed that Aberdeen City Council has today voted not to provide Castlegate Arts funding from contingency budgets for the continued operation of Aberdeen Arts Centre.
“For the past 26 years, Castlegate Arts has been the custodian of Aberdeen Arts Centre, and of grassroots arts in Aberdeen. As a charity, it was formed by Annie Inglis to fulfil this role when, in the late 1990s, then-operator Aberdeen City Council decided to cut funding to the venue.
“We are proud to have earned the trust of the local performing community to advocate for local performers, and take this responsibility seriously.
“Therefore it is disappointing that, while the Council had the opportunity to make a bold commitment to supporting the heart of grassroots arts in the city, they chose not to – going against the wishes of their constituents who have turned out in force over the last seven weeks to positively support the organisation.
“In the committee meeting today, it was suggested that a lack of professional touring productions has contributed to the Arts Centre’s current financial situation. However, the 35+ local performing groups who are at the heart of our purpose consistently sell out our venue. In addition, we are already in conversation with the professional companies referenced in the meeting to return next year and supplement our programme with new stories to inspire Aberdeen.
“It is not ticket sales that are the issue. It is widely recognised that the arts sector – especially the grassroots arts sector – relies on subsidy to provide affordable, accessible opportunities for everyone.
“While the Council has gone on record to state that it is providing alternative funding support to Castlegate Arts, in practice this has amounted to a list of links to grant websites many of which are not applicable to Castlegate Arts’ charitable objectives.
“The Council, as Castlegate Arts’ landlord, has repeatedly delayed renegotiation of a long-term lease for the building – without which the organisation is ineligible for a vast number of the remaining significant-sum grants from alternative sources.
“For over four years, Castlegate Arts has proactively approached the Council for more favourable lease terms – to extend the term and to remove the financial burden of maintaining the exterior of a heritage, Grade-A listed building from a small charity focused on preserving people-powered arts in Aberdeen. This would place the organisation in a similar position to other community hubs in the city and Arts Centres across the country, greater enabling long-term growth.”
“Over the past six months, Castlegate Arts has brought in a new team of industry professionals, elected an almost-entirely-new board of directors, and implemented a new strategy designed to make the organisation more financially independent and sustainable. However, implementing such a strategy takes time, which Council funding would have afforded us.
“The outpouring of love and support throughout the Save Aberdeen Arts Centre campaign has shown how important the Arts Centre and Castlegate Arts are to the people of Aberdeen, and to the wider arts sector in Scotland.
“While we were congratulated in Council chambers today for our campaign remaining apolitical, it is clear that the elected administration is not listening. The ruling coalition’s manifesto commits that they will ‘invest in Aberdeen Arts Centre’ – however today’s decision suggests otherwise.”
Other critical responses
Former Aberdeen Arts Centre Artistic Director Paula Gibson attended the meeting, and later commented:
“It sadly felt that no matter what logical and informed argument was presented it was not going to make any difference to the outcome. Very distressing to be in the room.” , while former Castlegate Arts Board member Louise Baxter called it “a very dispiriting morning”.
Wider criticism of the Council’s decision swiftly followed.
Ex-Aberdeen Performing Arts Chairman (and member of the Flying Pigs) Craig Pike commented:
“I am utterly appalled having watched most of the playback of today’s council committee meeting relating to the funding plight of Aberdeen Arts Centre/Castlegate Arts Limited. With the exception of the few Councillors there who were talking hugely in support of this important venue, the discussion was full of empty rhetoric and meaningless commentary.”
Fellow Flying Pig Moray Barber also commented:
“Councillors Grant and Boulton and the other opposition councillors made a case which was logical, thoughtful and representative of public opinion.
The administration embarrassed themselves. Including senior leaders who should know better. Quite why they have picked this fight is beyond me.”
Former Councillor Len Ironside also took a dim view of the proceedings, commenting:
“A shocking and unbelievable decision by Aberdeen City Council administration. A total lack of empathy, understanding and history of the effect Castlegate Arts have delivered to young people of the city and beyond. Disgraceful!”
Councillor Grant himself commented after the meeting:
“Be in no doubt, there is nothing stopping the administration from funding and saving the Aberdeen Arts Centre. By prevaricating in agreeing a new lease with Castlegate Arts (which is a prerequisite of many external funding applications), the council knows that they will be unable to secure external funding from those groups.
So Castlegate Arts have been fighting tooth and nail to raise the £180k of 3 months operational reserves to ensure they comply with “following the public pound” guidance. They have raised £90k in 7 weeks so far. The administration still refuses to help them financially because, they say, they can’t support any group that isn’t complying with the above named guidance. This leaves the Arts Centre with only one option – use the funds they’ve raised to build their reserves.
Local authority, for all its many faults, should be about helping whenever it can.
Instead, despite pledging to “invest in Aberdeen Arts Centre” when they came to power, this council has forced them into an impossible and seemingly unbreakable doom loop.”
Insiders view from technician
One of the city’s many theatre technicians gave an insider’s view on the current running of the venue, commenting:
“Deeply disappointed with Aberdeen City Council today. They clearly don’t understand the essential position Aberdeen Arts Centre holds within the cultural infrastructure of the north east.
I have been lucky enough to have worked on several productions with local companies since the new team took over the management of the centre over the last few months and I have been very impressed with each and everyone of them. From what I have seen they have a clear, sensible plan for the future and the talent, drive and passion to succeed in making the arts centre a sustainable, vibrant facility which is exactly what the city needs.
The inability to meet funding criteria is an inherited problem which, on top of everything else, the team have worked tirelessly to address with the recent fundraising campaigns. Now it’s time for the council to get back round the table, acknowledge that they are working with a new team and start finding financial solutions to give them a fair chance to prove that they can do what they have been brought in to do and run this essential facility.”
Inconsistency?
Other online commentators also pointed out the disparity between the Council’s refusal to allocate funding to Castlegate Arts, given all the positives it enables and the strong public backing it commands for a relatively small outlay, whilst at the same time being willing to commit far larger sums to works such as the current Union Street redevelopment or the £50 million transformation of Aberdeen beachfront with a new skateboard park and amphitheatre.
One social media commentator stated:
“They can find and justify £150m for the beach and Union St, but real community spaces that make a difference to people don’t matter to them. They want to do the big visuals and leave a legacy.”
Others pointed out that the decision to withhold £100,000 in funding because of concerns with ‘following the public pound’ also seems inconsistent when the same Council has previously been willing to provide £1 million in loans and support to the entrepreneurs behind Resident X, the street food and leisure venue in Marischal Square; a venture which failed within months, with the public money unlikely to be recouped, leading to criticism of the Council’s due diligence.
The work continues…
Despite the situation, Castlegate Arts has vowed to fight on, gaining praise for what Councillor Grant called their “slick, smart, positive, inspiring, non-political’ fundraising campaign.
Castlegate Arts’ statement concluded:
“We are thankful to the councillors, officers, MSPs, policymakers and members of the community that did fight our corner and who stood up for grassroots arts and culture in Aberdeen.
“The community has raised an incredible £90,000 so far, and Castlegate Arts is actively exploring alternative funding solutions, partnerships, and community-driven initiatives to ensure Aberdeen Arts Centre can continue to serve the city.
“This is not the end of the campaign to Save Aberdeen Arts Centre. The work continues.
“We will provide further updates soon, but in the meantime, we encourage everyone to join the conversation and make their voices heard.
In Case You Missed it:
“Together, let’s keep the spotlight shining on your creative community.”
Individuals and potential corporate sponsors can continue to donate via https://www.aberdeenartscentre.com/save-aberdeen-arts-centre.
