The National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) has announced a £56 million funding commitment from the Scottish government to build The Art Works, a new free-to-visit gallery in Granton, north Edinburgh. Construction is set to begin this summer, and the gallery will house over 130,000 artworks, allowing visitors to interact with pieces by pulling out storage racks and using viewing rooms—a model director-general Anne Lyden compares to the V&A East Storehouse in London. The project is part of NGS's 2026-30 strategic plan to improve access to Scotland's national collection, as currently only 3% of the collection is on display.
The funding boost is a positive step for Scotland's arts sector, which has faced financial uncertainty in recent years, exemplified by V&A Dundee halving its major exhibitions in 2024. The announcement follows a report estimating NGS contributed £253 million to Scotland's economy in 2024/25, and comes alongside increased government arts investment, including £266.3 million announced in January 2025. However, Lyden notes ongoing challenges from global uncertainty and aging infrastructure, emphasizing that the investment aims to secure long-term cultural and social benefits.