HOME is where the art is after £5.5m grant

MANCHESTER City Council has secured £5.5m from the Arts Council towards the new cultural centre at the First Street development.

The Cornerhouse cinema and the Library Theatre are moving to the purpose-built £25m building next year which is to be called HOME.

The cost of the scheme is also being covered by £16m already earmarked for the move of the Library Theatre, with the balance coming from third party contributions and future capital receipts.

The venue will have a 500-seat theatre and five cinema screens, as well as gallery and exhibition space. Designed by Mecanoo Architects, it is part of a wider £80m Ask Developments scheme, just off Whitworth Street West, which will also include an 11-storey 208-bed Melia hotel, a 10-storey car park and 30,000 sq ft of restaurants, bars, and shops.

Dave Moutrey, director and chief executive of HOME, said: “From the start of the project our aim has been to create a shared space, where people can come together in their passion for art, cinema, theatre, good food and conversation.

“We want to creat the right venue for artists to make great work and for audiences to come together to experience it, to take part, learn and have fun. This grant is a major step in helping us to achieve this ambition.”