SOUTHEND’S former Beecroft Gallery will be transformed into affordable artists’ studios with a £20,000 council grant.

The Tory administration agreed yesterday afternoon to make the four figure sum its gift to the trustees of the gallery, which moved to the former central library in Victoria Avenue two years ago due to structural issues, to convert it into an artists’ studio.

The grant, which the authority had the option of making as a loan, will be used by the Beecroft Art Gallery Trust to make a formal bid to Arts Council England’s capital grants fund for a complete overhaul of the site. Each Southend Councillor is a member of the Trust.

Speaking to the rest of the cabinet committee, culture councillor and deputy leader Ann Holland said: “We’re a cultural town, and the reports mentions kilns as well as artists, so it’s not just painting artists who will be there, it will be all sorts.

“I was pleasantly surprised and will be backing that all the way.”

The building would be divided into seven studios of various size, being priced at between £100 and £300 a month, with the possibility of some studios being enlarged with a price tag of more than £300 a month if there is found to be demand.

The Trust will now begin bidding for Arts Council England and Heritage Lottery Fund grants between £500,000 and £2million.

Local artist John Bulley is currently special representative to mayor Judith McMahon for arts and culture.

He said: “I think it’s a good idea, and it’s a beautiful building, but I wonder realistically whether it’s affordable because the amount of money needed to get the underpinning done and get it structurally sound is going to be enormous.

“I also think it’s important the studios are affordable, because artists generally don’t have a lot of money, and while £100 a month may be affordable I think £300 a month could put it out of many artists’ reach.”