Glasgow cultural venues set for £11m

Two of Glasgow's highest profile cultural venues are to be redeveloped with £11m of public money.Scottish Opera will receive £4m towards the cost of upgrading the Theatre Royal, including improving front-of-house areas and disabled access.The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) will get £7m for extending the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, including a new 600-seat performance venue.The improvements will be made before Glasgow hosts the Commonwealth Games. Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: "These funding allocations should go a long way towards turning plans into reality over the next three years."Once completed, the venues will play a crucial role in showcasing Scotland's world-renowned culture and creativity during the Commonwealth Games, as well as enhancing the cultural life of Glasgow for years to come. "Against a backdrop of a significantly reduced culture capital spend over the next three years, I have prioritised these projects because of their potential to contribute to Scotland's economic growth and to create a rich legacy for the city of Glasgow and the whole nation beyond 2014."