Work begins this week on the dramatic yet discreet building that will provide Orkney with one of the finest arts venues in Britain.

Contractors Casey Construction have successfully completed a temporary access road from the Pier Head in Stromness to the rear of the Pier Arts Centre.

Now work can start on the £4.5 million project to refurbish and extend the centre itself – a venture that involves the construction of a stunning new building designed by award-winning Edinburgh-based architects Reiach and Hall.

This will link up with the two historic buildings that currently house the Pier, creating a modern arts complex that retains the charm and character of the current centre.

“It’s taken us a long, long time to reach this point,” said Bob Shaw, chairman of the Pier Arts Centre’s board of trustees. “Now we are about to turn a dream into reality.

“We are starting on the most creative phase of the project and hopefully, in eighteen months time, we will be looking at a beautiful new building that fits comfortably into Stromness – while still making people say wow.

“Our vision is to create an arts venue with an atmosphere and environment in which the artistic and cultural sensitivities of the next generation of Orcadians – and the generations that follow – can be nurtured and encouraged.

“This project will open up a tremendous range of possibilities for the Pier Arts Centre. We’ll be able to provide the highest level of care for our internationally famous art collection, while at the same time developing an even more ambitious programme of arts events. And we’ll have the room to extend the collection itself.”

Orkney MSP Jim Wallace has had close links with the project since it was launched in 1999.

He said: “The Pier Arts Centre and its collection of high quality works of art are a huge asset for Orkney, giving us a prominent place on the cultural map of Britain and attracting many visitors to the county.

“A lot of hard work has gone into every stage of this exciting project. In particular, it’s a remarkable achievement to have raised the huge amount of money needed to create an arts venue we can all take an even greater pride in.

“I very much look forward to seeing the completed building later next year.”

Orkney Islands Council supported the project with a £500,000 grant, an investment that paid dividends when it was backed by more than £3 million in funding from the Scottish Arts Council Lottery Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The European Regional Development Fund and Historic Scotland provided further support.

Councillor Mike Drever, the council’s recreation and cultural services chairman, said: “There is no doubt that the Pier is a major gallery in terms of the visual arts in Scotland.

“This ambitious project will enhance that reputation and it’s very gratifying for everyone involved to see the final construction phase getting underway.

“I’m certain this will be seen as a hugely significant building for Orkney as a whole.

“It is also a highly significant performance indicator of the strength of our community
that people, some of them volunteers, have put the time and effort into achieving something as remarkable as this.”

The temporary road will allow Casey Construction easy access to the site, minimising disruption to neighbouring homes and businesses.

With the project underway, many of the works from the Pier’s permanent collection of paintings and sculpture are currently on show at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh.