July 12 2017

Dumfries & Galloway Council’s vision to transform the former Kirkcudbright Town Hall into an art gallery has been given a boost after Museums Galleries Scotland agreed to finance its nationally significant collection.

The cash will ensure paintings by the likes of Edward Atkinson Hornel, Charles Oppenheimer and Samuel Peploe (currently languishing in storage) will be placed on public display among 300pieces of fine art and 80 works of decorative art.
They will be joined by a temporary gallery space on the first floor and a Viking hoard gallery on the top floor.

Overseen by ARPL the conversion will make use of remaining historic fabric such as plasterwork cornices and staircases together with sensitive new additions and the opening up of existing windows to create a light filled space.

In their concept statement ARPL wrote: “The first-floor temporary gallery reinstates the original coved cornice which partially exists at present and creates a large flexible space. The introduction of a floating mezzanine within this space heightens the drama while adding significantly to the flexibility and functionality of the gallery space.

“The Viking Hoard is housed in the second-floor gallery - the original museum space of the town hall. This reinstates the central lantern as a key feature in the building and allows for a clear distinction between the types of gallery space.”

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