Arts and culture centre receives funding

8 Feb 2004

Proposed plans for Kirkintilloch’s new £4.5 million arts and culture centre at Southbank are a step closer to becoming a reality after receiving funding from the Scottish Arts Council to help develop its plans.

Kirkintilloch’s Initiative has been awarded £75,000 of capital lottery funding to meet the costs of business planning, preliminary architectural work and producing building cost estimates. Kirkintilloch’s Initiative’s budget identified £2.5M for the Arts and Culture Centre and the award from the Scottish Arts Council will make a significant contribution to an enhanced facility.

Colin Smith, Project Manager, said:

“This money will go a long way in helping us to turn our plans into bricks and mortar. We have produced plans for a first-class facility and we look forward to working with the Scottish Arts Council and our other partners to deliver an arts and culture centre that the people of Kirkintilloch and surrounding areas can enjoy”.

The local community has been closely involved in the development. Following consultation with local people the original plans have doubled in size and the location moved to the heart of the redeveloped leisure and business area at Southbank. When complete the arts and culture centre will serve as an important community base.

It will host a wide range of theatrical, musical, and dance events as well as providing a space for community events and meetings. Its flexibility and size means that it will be an excellent venue for wedding ceremonies, receptions and similar occasions.

“The visual appeal of the new Centre will help to enhance the whole area”, added Colin Smith. “the proposed new bridge over the canal leading to the entrance is particularly striking”. 



The range of proposed facilities include:

• a 250 to 300 seat theatre;
• exhibition space, bar and kitchen;
• a dance facility;
• open space for events such as craft fairs;
• a community space with a capacity of 80-100 (soundproofed for such purposes as rehearsal and recording);
• a further community space with a capacity of 40-60 (for art groups, workshops, classes, clubs, etc);
• a recording studio;
• committee/meeting rooms; and
• dressing rooms

Iain Munro, Head of Capital at the Scottish Arts Council, commented, “The proposal to create a major arts centre in Kirkintilloch is an exciting opportunity to create a focus for cultural activity for the whole of East Dunbartonshire. Not only will the centre provide a fitting new home for the wealth of artistic activity in the area, it will also be a major contributor to the regeneration of the canal side area. We look forward to working with the project team on this exciting development”

Outline planning permission for the centre was granted in January 2003 and the project team has selected the internationally renowned architects, Page & Park for the project.

The architects come with an outstanding track record that includes the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Glasgow and the Italian Centre - a key project in the regeneration of Glasgow’s Merchant City area. They were also lead consultants and designers for the environmental enhancement of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

The arts and culture centre is due to be completed in Spring 2006, depending on planning permission.

The proposed arts and culture centre is one of 14 projects included in Kirkintilloch’s Initiative regeneration programme. Kirkintilloch’s Initiative is currently considering how it can address the issues raised by the recommendations of the Scottish Executive Reporter. The Kirkintilloch Initiative Board is awaiting the Council’s adoption of the Local Plan before considering its next steps.