Arts Council awards £4.5m grant to transform Symphony Hall
Arts Council England has invested £4.5m of National Lottery money from its Capital Funding Programme to transform Birmingham’s Symphony Hall foyers.
The project will create new entrances, learning and participation spaces and enhance the experience for visitors of all ages. It will also allow artists to perform in the foyers and see the popular concert hall introduce daily programming with free and affordable performances.
Town Hall Symphony Hall presents a wide-ranging programme of music, comedy and spoken word, and the project, with a total cost of £13.2m will also better link the venue with Centenary Square, which is currently being regenerated and is home to The Rep theatre, Library of Birmingham, the new HSBC headquarters. The Midland Metro is also being extended and will include a nearby stop.
“This extraordinary project will ensure that Symphony Hall will continue to be a creative force and financially independent long into the future,” said Nick Reed, Chief Executive for Town Hall Symphony Hall. “We are incredibly thankful to Arts Council England, and many other supporters, for recognising the inspiring work currently delivered and committing to our ambitious aspirations to deliver even more inspirational activities. We currently reach over 18,000 people with our learning and community programme and over the coming years we will be able to reach thousands more in the transformed spaces that this project will create.”
Alongside flexible spaces that can host workshops, pre-show talks and corporate guests, opportunities will also be made available to artists with limited mobility, sensory and cognitive disabilities.
“This is fantastic news for Birmingham and a great opportunity for THSH to do something truly ambitious – creating new spaces for artists to perform and new spaces for audiences to experience great arts and culture, and really cementing its place in Birmingham’s cultural landscape,” said Peter Knott, Area Director, Arts Council England.
“These are exciting times for Birmingham as we approach the Commonwealth Games 2022 and we’re pleased to be investing in a project which will benefit so many local people and their communities. When arts, cultural and heritage organisations join forces with local authorities, enterprise partnerships, tourism boards and businesses, great things can happen – and where there are great ideas and genuine partnerships – our funding has a huge impact.”
This Capital investment from Arts Council will ensure companies and venues have the buildings and equipment they need to provide great artistic and cultural experiences to their local communities.
