莱斯特新艺术中心的计划被否决

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莱斯特市长Peter Soulsby已经否决了新建的艺术中心的提议，之前市中心的Art Gallery关闭之后，计划搬到New Walk博物馆对面的计划也被取消，因为资金不足，对现代艺术展感兴趣的同学要失望了。

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/New-Mayor-says-new-art-gallery-8211/article-3582426-detail/article.html

[来源:Leicester Mercury 5月23日]

Leicester's mayor says no to a new art gallery - for now

Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby

By david maclean political correspondent

Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has ruled out a new city art gallery in the near future.

He said public money would be "very limited" for some time to come and there were other priorities.

In January 2010 the city art gallery in Granby Street was closed and plans to relocate it opposite the New Walk Museum were scrapped because of lack of funds.

Sir Peter made his comments in an interview with the Mercury about culture in the city.

He said: "It would be great to have a brand new art gallery but these are difficult times that we're in.

"We've got to be realistic and the council's capital and revenue resources are going to be very, very limited for quite a while."

Councillor Ross Willmott, who was leader of the council when the art gallery plans were first proposed, said he was disappointed.

"The art gallery was my idea, along with a few others," he said.

He said: "It would create jobs – building the gallery, running it, running the shop – which would help local people.

"There is nowhere in the city to see modern art, which is just disappointing. I know that it would be unrealistic to start building it tomorrow, but I had hoped it was still on the cards for some time soon."

Sir Peter said that the city had made great strides with the Cultural Quarter.

He said: "It's gone from being just a name to establishing itself as a unique part of town with independent businesses flourishing nearby.

"But there's a long way to go, and there are still a lot of empty buildings and spaces in that area."

He said city council subsidies to Curve would continue as the theatre established itself. The county council has already pulled its annual contribution.

He said: "It still has three significant forms of funding – ticket sales, the Arts Council and the city council. That's unlikely to change any time soon."

He said he stood by the council's decision to keep De Montfort Hall in public hands.

Sir Peter said: "This was not an ideological decision, instead we've recognised that it is more than just a venue where touring acts turn up and perform. It is a building which can and should be used by the community too, and the best way to guarantee that status is for the council to oversee its running."

He also wants the ticketing and promotion of Phoenix Square, De Montfort Hall and Curve to be combined into a single operation.

He stuck by his manifesto pledge to keep museum entry free – last year there were plans to charge – but says opening hours will be considered later in the year.

He said: "We've got to go through the budget and look at the overall picture, then dig down line-by-line into spending decisions and commitments.

"I'm likely to have a better idea of the detail of things such as museum opening hours later in the year."

He added that the latest feedback on the progress of Phoenix Square Digital Media Centre, following its £250,000 council cash bailout last year, was "positive".

Further updates on its situation are expected later in the year.