City eyes new modern art gallery

Councillors are considering plans for a £1m contemporary art gallery for Leicester city centre.

The money would be spent on a new home for the City Gallery, which would move to a new venue across the road from the New Walk Museum.

City council leader Ross Wilmott said: "The new gallery would add to Leicester's reputation as a major cultural destination."

It would contain two gallery spaces for national and international collections.

The gallery would also have a studio for artist-led workshops and a drop-in space with interactive exhibitions as well as a contemporary craft shop, refreshment area, and better facilities for disabled people.

The council's cabinet will consider proposals to close the City Gallery when its lease expires at the end of February 2009 and develop the new facility by Spring 2010.

Under the proposals, New Walk Museum would host some contemporary art exhibitions while work on the new gallery is completed.

The new gallery would be located in a building formerly used as the city's workplace nursery on Wellington Street.