{"id":2182130,"date":"2026-10-06T14:47:41","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T11:47:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2182130"},"modified":"2026-10-06T14:47:41","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T11:47:41","slug":"talks-could-secure-long-term-future-of-aberdeen-arts-centre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2182130","title":{"rendered":"Talks could secure long-term future of Aberdeen Arts Centre"},"content":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/branded_news\/e8e6\/live\/77f5cee0-c192-11f1-aa62-b37233e4aed8.png”]<\/p>\n

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Castlegate Arts could eventually get the option to buy the centre<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The future of Aberdeen Arts Centre has been given a boost after councillors agreed to enter negotiations on a new long-term lease. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The charity which runs the venue, Castlegate Arts, has so far raised \u00a3350,000 towards a three-year \u00a3660,000 funding target, launched after it lost council funding last year. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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City councillors have unanimously agreed to extend the lease on the arts centre beyond its expiry next January, and to begin talks on a new 30-year deal with an option to purchase. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A \u00a350,000 grant is also to be provided for electrical upgrades.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Last year, Aberdeen City Council said the funding application submitted by the centre was not accepted as it did not meet its guidance for grant-giving.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The move prompted the launch of a major fundraising effort backed by the Aberdeen-born actress and Call the Midwife star Laura Main, who featured in many performances at the arts centre as a teenager.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Behind-the-scenes discussions among councillors have led to unanimous backing for a motion from independent councillor Marie Boulton.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The council has agreed to provide a grant for required electrical upgrades in the short term, while also agreeing to enter negotiations for a new lease of at least 30 years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Castlegate Arts could later be given the option to purchase the building on King Street.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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‘Incredible support’<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The council and Castlegate Arts will also collaborate on a new long-term funding and development model, which will allow it to apply for major capital grants.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A report on these discussions, with alternative options and a costed business case, is to be drawn up in time for next year’s annual council budget.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Holly Paterson, executive director at Castlegate Arts, said: “We are pleased that Aberdeen City Council has today voted to work with us to secure the future of Aberdeen Arts Centre.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“We have built significant momentum over recent months, with incredible support from our communities, audiences, funders and partners.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“As the home of grassroots arts in Aberdeen, a hub for early-career creatives to develop and share new work, and a place for the community to come together, we are proud of what the arts centre provides for tens of thousands of people in the north east every year.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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She said the centre was looking forward to working with councillors and officials to protect the community space.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

[analyse_source url=”https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cmzxjr0nz27ro”]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/branded_news\/e8e6\/live\/77f5cee0-c192-11f1-aa62-b37233e4aed8.png”] Google Castlegate Arts could eventually get the option to buy the centre The future of Aberdeen Arts Centre has been given a boost after councillors agreed to enter negotiations on a new long-term lease. The charity which runs the venue, Castlegate Arts, has so far raised \u00a3350,000 towards a three-year \u00a3660,000 funding […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[35,226],"class_list":["post-2182130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-bbc-com","tag-crawlmanager"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2182130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2182130"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2182130\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2182130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2182130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2182130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}