Thurso Art Gallery to close – 'If you believe in art then you will be against this decision,' says chair of local arts group

Due to soaring "operating costs" High Life Highland (HLH) announced this week that it will be closing Thurso Art Gallery in Thurso Library.

Formerly known as Swanson Art Gallery, the venue is located in the back of the town's library and has featured many shows by local and international artists with the last exhibition, called Spring, just finishing at the weekend.

A spokesperson for HLH said: “Like many organisations, HLH has seen its operating costs rising against a challenging cost-of-living-crisis backdrop for its users. This has meant the charity has had to take some difficult decisions as part of its budget setting for the current year.

“The charity has taken the decision to cease the programming and operations at the Thurso Art Gallery as part of that process in an agreement between High Life Highland and The Highland Council. The gallery will continue to operate whilst contractual discussions are ongoing.

“High Life Highland commits to making the gallery space available to local community groups and artists wishing to mount their own exhibitions in the local area.”

Ian Pearson, chair of the Society of Caithness Artists (SCA) which put together the Spring show, said: "The Society is very disappointed to learn about the closure of the Thurso Art Gallery in Thurso Library. Without no obvious plans for future art exhibitions, we feel the public are being deprived of such a valuable service.

"Not everything in life can be measured in monetary terms. The best things in life really are priceless. Time will tell if this kind of lack of service is what people want. If you believe in art then you will be against this decision so please, please make your voice heard."

Veteran Caithness artist Jenny Bruce, who now lives in Edinburgh but regularly exhibits in the county, responded to the announcement in a social media post in which she wrote: "This was earmarked for closure years ago when Inverness decided to extend their art gallery into a development in Inverness Castle to become the 'New Gallery of the Highlands' or the 'V&A of the Highlands'.

"Inverness has not got the artistic or historic provenance that Caithness has, but they don't want their noses put out of joint by a tiny county in the north showing a greater claim. Since 2005, I have tried persistently to rally support to have a special dedicated cultural space in Caithness where superb art collections of importance could be shown to prove this historical provenance plus work of local artists, craftsmen etc could be housed there as well."

There is, however, a more positive piece of news regarding the local art scene with a forthcoming visit to Thurso by Travelling Gallery, a contemporary art gallery in a bus. Travelling Gallery will feature work by Emmie McLuskey and Janice Parker and will be at Thurso Harbour from 10am to 4pm on Saturday.

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