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Recent releases
Dumfries and Galloway Council’s art galleries and museums are celebrating a year of success. Overall visitor figures increased by ten per cent in the year of 2022-2023 to 2023-2024. Part of this rise in visitors is due to the recovery from Covid - Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Arts and Museums Service cares for three collections which are recognised as significant to the Scottish nation and the return of overseas visitors in this time period can only have helped at internationally significant sites such as Robert Burns House and Kirkcudbright Galleries. But the increase is also a testament to the work being done across the thirteen different museums and galleries run by the Council in Dumfries and Galloway.
Part of the success can be attributed to collaborative ways of working – the museums and galleries have been engaging with community and other cultural groups to develop diverse programmes. Exhibitions such as the Diane Arbus photographic exhibition at Gracefield Art Centre are other success stories. Encouraging school groups as well as hosting talks, walks and tours all provide reasons for repeat visits which have increased in this time period.
Building works and funded projects have also transformed some of sites. Refurbishment of the toilets at the Robert Burns Centre saw it increase its Visit Scotland star rating. The historic Main Hall of Dumfries Museum, built in 1862, has been redisplayed in the past two years with co-curation from local young people. This has completely transformed the space as has the display of historic bicycles installed to celebrate 2023’s Summer of Cycling. Works at The Stewartry Museum in Kirkcudbright provided an opportunity for parts of its historic collection to be redisplayed.
Council Leader Gail Macgregor said:
“I am so pleased that more visitors are enjoying our cultural offer here in Dumfries and Galloway. Our museum and galleries contain great collections in some of the most beautiful historic buildings in our region. Our staff have great enthusiasm for their work and have been making a real difference to the events and exhibitions that are programmed. This is a difficult time for heritage organisations but it is good to know that visitors appreciate our art galleries and museums and we hope to see even more people visiting and enjoying all that they have to offer in future.”
For full details on the museums and art galleries, including how to visit, see:
https://www.dgculture.co.uk/venues/
