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Walsall Art Gallery: 2,500 sign petition to save attraction at risk of closure through council cuts

Nearly 2,500 people have signed a petition to save Walsall New Art Gallery.

Published

The gallery, which opened back in 2000, is under threat of closure as Walsall Council has put forward proposals to stop a large proportion of its funding.

Councillor Sean Coughlan, the leader of Walsall Council, had previously warned that by 2020 the borough would be left with no art gallery if the current levels of austerity and central government cuts continue.

Since then the council has put forward its plans to save £86 million in four years – including plans to reduce the financial support it gives the gallery.

This proposed reduction in funding will mean the gallery, which has hosted exhibitions from the likes of Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol, will have to become self-sufficient or close.

Now a petition has been started to keep the £21m building open, along with the borough's museums and libraries which are also under threat in the coming years.

The petition, which at the time of writing has 2,475 signatures, reads: "Closing Walsall's art gallery, museum and libraries to provide the necessary budget cuts that the Conservative government demand is both unethical and impractical which will destroy the atmosphere of many surrounding communities.

"We need to make a stand before nothing exists and the governors laugh at our peril."

Lou Blakeway, from Cradley Heath, was one of those to sign the petition.

She said: "Culture is for everyone not just the elite. This gallery holds a significant collection of artworks which should be available for all to see including the working classes."

A spokesman for Walsall Council said: "Our journey of cost reduction to compensate for the reduced funding won't be over until 2020.

"Put simply, having saved £100m, the council will face four more years of funding reductions – that means this council has to save another £86m by 2020 to rebalance the books.

"It's been well documented that the inward pressures on local government are immense. Continued austerity will mean this authority and many other councils have to reduce what they do, at a time when we are seeing a greater demand for social care services from our aging, frail population, increasing demands on Children's services and reductions in NHS spending.

"The Council fully appreciates that the Art Gallery is much-loved by those who use it however, like many council's across the country this authority can't ignore the fact that savings have to be made. This is why we will be consulting with our public."

The petition can be viewed by visiting www.change.org

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