Relief but still short of money
Trustees of the Smith Art Gallery and Museum are looking to Stirling Council to repair some of the damage caused by placing it at threat of budget cuts.
Stirling Council leader Councillor Scott Farmer announced last Thursday that the Smith had been removed from officers’ budget options before the end of the consultation process due to the public outcry, which sparked a 9000 signature petition against £242,000 of cuts to the venue.
Chair of the Smith Trustees, former Stirling Provost Colin O’Brien, said trustees and staff were “very relieved” at the council administration’s decision to remove the Smith from the list of future savings options this time round, and grateful to the thousands of people who stepped up to support it.
However, he said the events of recent weeks had created “uncertainty and instability” for the Smith going forward, with the recruitment process for a new director having been suspended until confidence was restored.
While the Smith would be hoping to harness the public endorsement, he added that the council should now demonstrate its own support for the Smith and ensure its credibility by addressing a grant shortfall.
He added: “Having expended resources and energy preparing detailed proposals to play a full part in the City Region Deal, we are now anxious about how we may be perceived by government and others. Historic Environment Scotland is seeking reassurance of our viability going forward, concerned about their investment, along with the council, in our new roof.”
He also said, with council support for the venue frozen since 2011, the effect had been an annual reduction in real terms for seven years and a total loss of income of £206,000 - a saving to the council. Had the grant been index linked it would now be £314,000.
Mr O’Brien said despite major savings made by the trustees to meet the contracting value of the grant - including reducing professional staff from three to two, reducing the working hours of museum assistants and “innumerable money saving economies” - they had managed to grow annual visitor numbers to over 43,000 and increase special events.
“The staff and trustees have been diligent in seeking and attracting other grants, match funding and sponsorship. Most years we can raise up to 35-40 per cent of our necessary income this way.
“The retiral of our director in August presents a particular issue for the trust. The trustees are faced with the inevitability of funding an improved salary in order to attract the best candidate to Stirling. The recruitment process along is likely to cost an, as yet unbudgeted, £12,000.
“The message is, essentially, that the Stirling Smith needs greater funding, not less.”
Uncertainty also remains over the funding support for the Smith’s education and learning service, which worked with 60 different schools, nurseries and adult groups, hosted 64 class visits to the museum, and conducted outreach work with organisations such as Townbreak Dementia, Riverside Over 50s Group and Drymen and District Historical Society among others in 2016/17 alone among other events and activities.