THE head of the region's flagship multi-million pound arts centre says he is not interested in visitor numbers.

Sune Nordgren, director of the £47m Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, has also told a magazine that he will not popularise Baltic.

The massive "art factory" is being created in the former Baltic Flour Mill on the banks of the Tyne. It is at the hub of the Gateshead Quays redevelopment that includes the Millennium Bridge.

The centre secured £33m from the National Lottery and has been pledged £1.5m a year of Arts Council money by the Government.

The opening has twice been postponed - it is now due to open in June.

Mr Nordgren told the design magazine Blueprint: "I'm not interested in attendance figures. It's more the politicians and the Arts Council who are interested in those sorts of things.

"We will never try to popularise what we are doing. On the contrary, actually, we want to make things more complicated."

But Gateshead borough councillor John McElroy, cabinet member for jobs and employment, said: "I think his problem is going to be keeping people away. Unlike many other establishments worldwide, it will be free entry. I think it will be popular - though not necessarily populist."

The comments of Swedish-born Mr Nordgren, who has a background in publishing and art criticism as well as directing arts projects, come after another flagship arts venue - Arc, in Stockton, Teesside - went into liquidation and shut last November with debts of £750,000.

It had a similar commitment to avant garde tastes, but failed to attract large crowds.