National Galleries Scotland

Coordinates: 55°57′2.585″N 3°13′28.168″W / 55.95071806°N 3.22449111°W / 55.95071806; -3.22449111
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National Galleries Scotland
Gailearaidhean Nàiseanta na h-Alba

The three galleries owned by National Galleries of Scotland: (left to right) the Scottish National Gallery, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Non Departmental Public Body overview
TypeExecutive Non Departmental Public Body
JurisdictionScottish Government
HeadquartersThe Dean Gallery, 75 Belford Road, Edinburgh, EH4 3DR
55°57′2.585″N 3°13′28.168″W / 55.95071806°N 3.22449111°W / 55.95071806; -3.22449111
Employees327
Non Departmental Public Body executive
  • Anne Lyden, Director-General
Child agencies
Key document
Websitewww.nationalgalleries.org
Map
Map
Footnotes
Charity registered in Scotland (No.SC003728)

National Galleries Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Gailearaidhean Nàiseanta na h-Alba, formerly the National Galleries of Scotland) is the executive non-departmental public body that controls the three national galleries of Scotland and two partner galleries, forming one of the National Collections of Scotland.

The purpose of National Galleries Scotland (NGS) was set out by an Act of Parliament in the National Galleries of Scotland Act 1906, amended by the National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985. Its role is to manage the National Galleries of Scotland, care for, preserve and add to the objects in its collections, exhibit artworks to the public and to promote education and public enjoyment and understanding of the Fine Arts. It is governed by a board of trustees who are appointed by ministers of the Scottish Government.[1]

History[edit]

National Galleries of Scotland Act 1906
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn Act to establish a Board of Trustees to manage the National Galleries of Scotland; and for other purposes.
Citation6 Edw. 7. c. 50
Dates
Royal assent21 December 1906
Text of statute as originally enacted
Text of the National Galleries of Scotland Act 1906 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

The National Gallery of Scotland (now called the National) was opened to the public in 1859. Located on The Mound in the centre of Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh, the building was originally shared between the National Gallery and the collection of the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA). The gallery was a success, and in response to increasing public demand for the celebration of Scottish history and culture, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery (SNPG) was opened in 1889 to display portraits of noted Scots. The National Gallery collection was nevertheless constrained by lack of space in the premises on The Mound, and the National Galleries of Scotland Act 1906 granted to the RSA perpetual tenancy of the Royal Institution building in front of the National Gallery, allowing the National Galleries collection to take over the entire National Gallery of Scotland building. Since then, the Royal Institution building became known as the Royal Scottish Academy.[2]

In 1959, National Galleries of Scotland expanded further with the establishment of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (SNGMA), housed in Inverleith House in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Twentieth-century artworks in the National Galleries collection were relocated to the new gallery, and the gallery began to acquire many more objects after 1960. By 1984, the modern art gallery had outgrown its first home, and the SNGMA relocated to the vacant John Watson's Institution building, a former school. In 1999, the SNGMA expanded with the opening of The Dean Gallery (now called Modern Two) in a former orphanage opposite the Gallery of Modern Art.[2]

In 2012, National Galleries of Scotland underwent a rebranding exercise, and the National Gallery of Scotland building on The Mound was renamed the Scottish National Gallery to distinguish it from the organisation that manages it.[3][4]

A further rebranding was undertaken in 2023, when the organisation's name was changed to National Galleries Scotland. A new visual identity was introduced, including a three-dimensional logo consisting of a pair coloured rectangles placed at an angle, said to "evoke the idea of discovery and different perspectives". The names of the individual gallery buildings were considered to be too long, and were given "snappier and more memorable" names within the branding family: National, Portrait and Modern.[5]

Copyright[edit]

The NGS website's "Copyright & Image Licensing" page claims that "Images of works where copyright has expired ... are available for you to use under the terms of the CC-BY-NC 3.0 License",[6] while the individual download pages of such images assert: "You may copy, print, display, and store this image for your personal, non-commercial use." and "The image must be attributed with the artist, title of the artwork, copyright holder, and 'National Galleries Scotland'. The image must also be linked back to this artwork page on the National Galleries Scotland website... if you require a commercial license please fill in an online application."[7]

List of national galleries[edit]

Map of the three National Galleries Scotland premises in Edinburgh

The Partner Galleries are:

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Who we are". www.nationalgalleries.org. National Galleries of Scotland. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Our history". www.nationalgalleries.org. National Galleries of Scotland. Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  3. ^ Potter, MatthewC (2017). The Concept of the 'Master' in Art Education in Britain and Ireland, 1770 to the Present. Routledge. p. 17. ISBN 9781351545471. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  4. ^ "O Street creates unifying brands for Scottish galleries - Design Week". Design Week. 8 June 2011. Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  5. ^ "New look for the National Galleries of Scotland". www.nationalgalleries.org (Press release). 29 March 2023. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Copyright & Image Licensing". National Galleries Scotland. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Reverend Robert Walker (1755 - 1808) Skating on Duddingston Loch". National Galleries Scotland. Retrieved 9 February 2021.

External links[edit]