Our treasure trove at risk
Stirling residents who care about culture and history, including the six hundred members of the Friends of the Smith, will be incredulous at news Stirling Council’s budget proposals include a major cut in funding to the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum in three years time.
These are austere times and we know that hard choices have to be made but no-one expected this.
The Smith is the treasure house of Stirling’s people and their past, and also bears witness to the art and history of wider Scotland through 40,000 artefacts and paintings worth millions.
Our museum is good enough to have been offered the only Scottish showing of Leonardo Da Vinci’s s drawings from the Royal Collection.
It was chosen by the BBC television for the Quizeum show, again the only Scottish museum included, because of the range of remarkable items in the collection.
At another time it showed an exhibition about the 1984 miners’ strike, which was developed from a Facebook page by the community in Fallin, who flocked to see it. The Smith belongs to all of us.
The Smith earns its council grant through its educational work with children, adults and community groups and the cultural and historical offering to tourists. These are just two of the ways it contributes to the council’s strategic objectives and the city economy.
The Trustees have created an ambitious development programme to extend the building and unlock its potential and the Smith has been identified as a key project for the Stirling City Deal which should pave the way for a Heritage Lottery bid. Significant budget cuts do not make sense.
In 1973, the Smith building was in bad state and heading for demolition. The Friends of the Smith were formed then and literally saved it from destruction. It looks as if history is repeating itself and it’s time for action.
Anyone who cares about the Smith can visit the Friends’ website where there are useful links to find the council consultation including online survey. There is an email address to send in personal responses. A printable letter is provided for anyone who wants to use it to lobby their own councillor. That’s at www.friendsofstirlingsmith.org.uk
There is an online petition at change. org which we hope supporters will sign as well, but not at the expense of the council consultation which will be used as the official gauge of public opinion.
Dr Chris Kelt, Chair Friends of the Smith