EXCLUSIVE: Cooper Gallery Closure Proposed as DJCAD Staffing and Resource Strains Persist.

Dundee Universirty has proposed the closure of Cooper Gallery by July 2027 as part of further major restructuring.

Designed in 1953 by architect James Wallace, the gallery is a unique space for exhibitions and events. Its proposed closure is part of wider cuts across the university, in a bid to to reduce spending by £20 million.

As stated on the University website:

“Cooper Gallery at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, University of Dundee is internationally recognised as a distinctive platform in Scotland for its radical curatorial research, international approach and focus on critical discourse in contemporary art and culture.”

“Encompassing new commissions, exhibitions, off-site projects, public engagement events, artists’ and writers’ residencies and publishing, Cooper Gallery’s curatorial approach grounded in discursive, experimental and participatory strategies, sustains an environment for significant and emerging artists to conceive and produce risk-taking ambitious projects.”

Under the proposed cuts, seven academic posts and one academic‑related post in Art & Design would be cut.

The University says the changes are intended to “rebalance teaching and research workloads” while “prioritising the exceptional studio‑based teaching DJCAD is known for.”

A formal consultation period is now open. Staff affected by the proposals have been invited to provide feedback before final decisions are made.

The proposed closure comes less than a year after earlier reporting revealed the growing pressures facing DJCAD, including rising student costs, reduced technical support and concerns over the sustainability of studio‑based teaching.

At the time, students and staff warned that ongoing cuts were already affecting the quality of learning and the future of the art school. The latest proposals indicate that those pressures have now deepened significantly.