PAI members accused of ‘sinister campaign’ in row over £25m art haul
Ousted secretary claims trustees were victims of ‘lies’
The vanquished secretary of the shaken Paisley Art Institute (PAI) has claimed there were 11 months of relentless pressure in a “sinister campaign” from rebel members.
Breaking his code of silence, Steven Thomson let rip, claiming trustees of the PAI were victims of lies, derogatory comments and allegations without fact.
The 13-strong committee, including president Rowena Comrie, was voted out at the AGM of the 145-year-old organisation last week.
But Steven, who had been in post for three years, said the rebels would not simply get to seize control of the institute and its £25million collection of around 250 paintings.
A new election will be staged later this month and power transferred to members who are voted onto a replacement management committee.
Steven revealed: “A new constitution was voted in last year and a group of members were against it.
“They really began a campaign from December onwards to try and delegitimise us.
“We have been under relentless pressure.”
The arts and theatre veteran also claimed the committee was given “dog’s abuse” down the phone by rebels and there was a malicious email campaign “targeting members with lies, falsehoods and allegations”.
He said: “It all created a hostile environment for us. It was a sinister campaign of derogatory comments, bluster and hyperbole.”
In a series of articles, the Express has reported of the suspension of three members - Joe and Anne Hargan and artist Jacqui Orr - and their worries the ownership of the historic collection was under threat.
They fear the trustees’ relationship with Renfrewshire Council, Renfrewshire Leisure and Paisley Museum had become too cosy and ownership of the paintings could transfer to them.
But Steven insisted that has and never would be the case.
He said: “All we were trying to do was manage our relationship with Renfrewshire Leisure very carefully through a really challenging time.
“We are trying to work in partnership with them and manage things in a different way.”
He said a complaint to the charity regulator OSCR about the way they were running PAI was rejected.
Steven said: “We felt suspending the three members was the only action we could take legally as trustees to defend ourselves.
“They think the collection is going to be subsumed by the council. In reality, the truth is the collection has been deposited with them since 1914.
“It has never been the case that we want to hand over ownership of the paintings.
“We wanted to help the PAI progress as it is stuck in the past.
“I think what we are dealing with in some people is a loss of position and they feel Paisley Museum was theirs, as if they owned it.”
When the museum reopens after a £42million transformation, there won’t be five galleries hung with PAI paintings, but a reduced space.
The collection has been described as “Paisley’s crown jewel” and includes Sir John Lavery’s Paisley Lawn Tennis Club, as well as pieces by Francis Cadell, a Scottish colourist, and Francis Newbery, the director of the Glasgow School of Art from 1885 and 1917.
Steven said the rebel group regarded the council as “the enemy”.
But he said: “The paintings have been looked after by Renfrewshire Leisure under its keepership, rather than ownership.
“The PAI owns the paintings and that is not up for discussion. We will not be handing over the paintings to the council so it can take ownership.
“All we want is its status protected for the future under an incorporated association.
“But these members just saw alarm in that. And some of these members with letters after their name see themselves as an unelected House of Lords that could basically tell the trustees how to do their job. It does feel a little bit like a class struggle.”
The ousted trustees faced a barrage of criticism from Joe Hargan, an ex PAI president, and former president Michael Durning.
Joe, whose wife Anne has also been suspended, said members became suspicious of what was going on, and Michael added: “A cabal of arts bureaucrats have been acting like vultures.”
At the AGM in the Sir James Clark building, the secretary described the proceedings as “shambolic”.
In the end, the motion of no confidence in the trustees passed after gaining 30 votes, 26 against and eight members abstaining.
Under charity law, the PAI has to stage an election, rather than members declaring themselves as management.
The vote will take place on November 25 and candidates hoping to form the new committee will have to have declared five days earlier.
Steven added: “We will be handing over to the legitimately appointed trustees on November 25, whoever that may be.”
It all created a hostile environment for us. It was a sinister campaign of derogatory comments