New grants pave the way for better arts building

Arts Council England (ACE) has given a green light to 16 projects that will see arts and cultural buildings improved or extended, and a new venue built in south London. A number of other buildings will be converted for arts and cultural use.

The performing arts venues to benefit from refurbishment and improvement are based in London (Institute of Contemporary Arts and Polka Theatre), the north (West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds and the Royal Court, Liverpool), the south east (The Story Museum, Oxford and Tunbridge Wells Museum and Arts Gallery) and the south west (Colston Hall, Bristol). Existing buildings will be converted for arts and cultural use in Derby (Derby Museums), Plymouth (Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery), Sunderland (in the MAC quarter) and Norwich (Writers’ Centre). Four buildings will be extended: Colchester’s Mercury Theatre, Hallé St. Peter's and Band on the Wall’s main venue space in Manchester, and Bolton’s Octagon Theatre.

The only new-build project will be Oval House in London. The theatre is proposing a move to Brixton in partnership with the London Borough of Lambeth, which is providing a prime site as part of a significant regeneration scheme. An initial grant of £130,600 will help to develop proposals for a fully accessible and sustainable modern theatre, for which a £3m large capital grant has been earmarked. A further £6.5m has already been raised for the project, leaving £2m to be raised to see the project through to opening.

The purpose of ACE’s large capital grants is to support arts and cultural organisations to make their buildings more economically and environmentally sustainable, and to give them the right buildings and equipment to support the delivery of their work. The 16 now have 18 months to complete a stage two application showing plans at a detailed stage of design and development which, if approved, will share £57m to complete their building work.