Financial challenges force Cambridgeshire gallery to close

An art gallery in Ely, Cambridgeshire, is set to close its doors permanently later this year after running for three decades.

The Babylon Art Gallery has said it will begin winding down operations ahead of closing permanently in September.

Its board of trustees added that the gallery has faced financial challenges, with attempts to secure funding falling through.

In a statement on the gallery’s website, the trustees explained that key stakeholders were informed of the gallery’s ongoing financial challenges last September, leading to negotiations with local authorities and other organisations to secure sustainable funding.

“Despite clear communication that core funding was urgently needed by the end of February 2025, these efforts have not resulted in the necessary support, leaving the trustees with no choice but to close the gallery and cease operations,” the statement adds.

A series of community projects and exhibitions are planned in the lead up to the closure, including Creative Fenland, Ely Arts Festival, and Cambridge Open Studios.

The trustees added that a new project, Ely Community Cinema, will be launching this spring “in an effort to preserve some of the cultural offerings” in the area.