SCOTTISH Ballet is willing to explore ways of accommodating visual art in its controversial move to the Tramway venue in Glasgow, but only at an extra cost to the scheme's £8m price tag.

In an interview with The Herald, Christopher Barron, the ballet's chief executive, revealed the cost of the plan for the first time and confirmed the Tramway 2 space – currently an art gallery – would be used for storage and set building.

However, he said he was willing to "keep talking" to the visual arts community about how the plans could be altered to allow a visual arts presence at the council-owned site.
Artists and curators from across Scotland are campaigning against the loss of Tramway 2, which has launched the careers of artists such as Douglas Gordon and Christine Borland.
Scottish Ballet plans to finance the move with lottery money from the Scottish Arts Council and private sponsors.

After raising the funds, the ballet will sell its home in West Princes Street, in the west end of Glasgow, and move into the Tramway in the autumn of 2006.
Mr Barron envisions the plan as a chance to create a new dance centre for Glasgow and the west coast of Scotland.

He said it will have a vibrant atmosphere, programmed productions in the Tramway 1 space, constant educational and community dance work, and residences by independent dancers and companies.

"It will be Britain's biggest dance centre. The critical mass will be there to make the space work," he said.

However, the Tramway 2 space will be used only for storing and assembling sets. The rehearsal space for dancers will be part of the extensive new building work required in the ballet's plan.
Mr Barron, who met with concerned artists this week, said he had been surprised by the response to the plans.

They have been described as "cultural vandalism", and Douglas Gordon, the Turner Prize- winning artist, said they were "damnable".

Mr Barron said: "I was a bit surprised, honestly, at the extent to which people have got upset, and I am sorry about that, it was never our intention to do that.

"It's important that we do talk and there is a dialogue going on, and I am looking to do what I can – I hate the idea of art forms bashing each other up in Scotland.

"Dance is one of the most collaborative art forms, strong on visual art, and in a sense there's a natural partnership there.

"We are still looking at all the possibilities in that building. I'd like to find a solution somewhere along the line – but what I do know is that building has a large problem, and that is that there is not enough going on there."

Mr Barron admitted that the Scottish Ballet dance centre, with an additional space for visual art, would be a welcome scenario. However, he said any change in the plans would require more money from outside Scottish Ballet and its current lottery bid.

"I think that would be the most exciting idea. I can do big vision stuff, but what I am trying to do is find practical solutions," he said.

"I couldn't fund it, I have to fund-raise for the ballet."

Scottish Ballet's plans for the site depend on a large amount of new building work, including an area of unused land on the Tramway site, specifically behind St Ninian's Episcopal Church in Albert Drive.

Mr Barron said there was no alternative to the Tramway for Scottish Ballet, and if the bid failed the company would be "in a bind".

Throughout the furore, Glasgow City Council has maintained that the move is "not a done deal".