Kent County Council has cut £200,000 for sports development, £200,000 for Kent Music and £100,000 to Turner Contemporary art gallery in Margate. Paul Carter KCC leader said the council had already explored every area of efficiency but must find £15m in excess of £60m it had already planned. “We really have explored every area of efficiency,” said Mr Carter.”We have reduced the number of staff at Kent County Council by some 1,500 full time staff. We have really cut back on these costs to the bone.” He added “Finding this (extra) £15m is not going to be easy,” he said. “The tank is empty now. If we are to have any more reductions imposed upon us of significance it really will have an impact on front-line services.”
Turner Contemporary is a dynamic visual arts organisation that believes in making art open, relevant and fulfilling for all. Inspired by JMW Turner’s sense of enquiry, The Turner Contemporary offers a space for everyone to embrace their curiosity and to discover different ways of seeing, thinking and learning. They offer this through a stimulating programme of temporary exhibitions, events and learning opportunities. This programme enables intriguing connections to be made between art from 1750 to the present day.
The Turner’s landmark new gallery, was designed by Stirling Prize Winner David Chipperfield Architects and opened On Saturday 16 April 2011. Situated on Margate’s seafront, on the same site where Turner stayed when visiting the town, the gallery is the largest exhibition space in the South East, outside of London. New budget proposals will be published in January ahead of the county council’s meeting on 14 February.
Photo: © ArtLyst 2012