Tuesday 06 May 2008 @ 16:52
Arts Council England
Arts Council England
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Arts Council England invests in revitalised Southbank Centre’s future
Arts Council England today announced an additional package of £16.5 million of Lottery funding for Southbank Centre.
The funds – an extension of the existing Lottery grant for the major refurbishment of the Centre – are to cover final costs of the renovation of the Royal Festival Hall and to build on the success of the new artistic programme.
Moira Sinclair, Regional Executive Director for Arts Council England, London, said:
“The re-opening of the Royal Festival Hall, and the launch of a new programme of produced as well as received work, has revitalised Southbank Centre and firmly established its position as a key arts venue in the capital.
“This additional money will provide Southbank Centre with a firm footing for their ambitious plans for the future. We will be working closely with them to ensure that financial targets are reached and artistic ambitions realised, including through the regularly funded organisations resident at .Southbank. We want the Centre to continue to play a major role in the regeneration of the South Bank as a key cultural and leisure destination.”
Southbank Centre’s critically acclaimed reopening programme featured Antony Gormley’s Blind Light and Event Horizon, the 48-hour free Overture Weekend and a world-class Classical Season. Since then it has continued to attract large and diverse audiences with work such as Barenboim’s acclaimed Beethoven Sonata cycle. The new season will include the UK premiere of Nono’s Prometeo, a summer production of The Wizard of Oz and Massive Attack’s Meltdown.
Michael Lynch, Chief Executive of Southbank Centre, said:
“We are delighted that Arts Council England has extended its Lottery funding for Southbank Centre. They have been extremely supportive ever since the beginning of this project. This generous investment will enable us to reap the rewards of success and to continue to deliver a world-class, innovative and inspiring artistic programme.
“The award also acknowledges more broadly that, in recent years, the South Bank has become one of the world’s most important cultural quarters. With our iconic and accessible venues and our exciting artistic plans, we can make a major contribution to the cultural life of the nation as a whole.”
Over the last 14 years, Arts Council England has invested around £1.4 billion of National Lottery funds in arts venues around the country, through its Capital programme. This work has transformed our national arts infrastructure by creating or updating iconic buildings like Sage Gateshead, Royal Shakespeare Theatre Stratford upon Avon, Sadlers Wells, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Brighton Dome, FACT, Aldeborough, the Royal National Theatre and St Lukes LSO.
For more information about this funding or about Arts Council England contact:
Louise Wylie, Director of Media Relations, Arts Council England
Tel: 020 7973 5528 / 07912 998 955 or email louise.wylie@artscouncil.org.uk
For more information about Southbank Centre contact:
Alison Cole, Director of Communications, Southbank Centre
Tel. 020 7921 0901 / 07711 600 649
Notes for editors:
Arts Council England works to get great art to more people. We develop and promote the arts across England, acting as an independent body at arm’s length from government.
Between 2008 and 2011, we will invest £1.6 billion of public money from government and the National Lottery in supporting the arts.
This is the bedrock of support for the arts in England. We believe that the arts have the power to change lives and communities, and to create opportunities for people throughout the country.
The funds – an extension of the existing Lottery grant for the major refurbishment of the Centre – are to cover final costs of the renovation of the Royal Festival Hall and to build on the success of the new artistic programme.
Moira Sinclair, Regional Executive Director for Arts Council England, London, said:
“The re-opening of the Royal Festival Hall, and the launch of a new programme of produced as well as received work, has revitalised Southbank Centre and firmly established its position as a key arts venue in the capital.
“This additional money will provide Southbank Centre with a firm footing for their ambitious plans for the future. We will be working closely with them to ensure that financial targets are reached and artistic ambitions realised, including through the regularly funded organisations resident at .Southbank. We want the Centre to continue to play a major role in the regeneration of the South Bank as a key cultural and leisure destination.”
Southbank Centre’s critically acclaimed reopening programme featured Antony Gormley’s Blind Light and Event Horizon, the 48-hour free Overture Weekend and a world-class Classical Season. Since then it has continued to attract large and diverse audiences with work such as Barenboim’s acclaimed Beethoven Sonata cycle. The new season will include the UK premiere of Nono’s Prometeo, a summer production of The Wizard of Oz and Massive Attack’s Meltdown.
Michael Lynch, Chief Executive of Southbank Centre, said:
“We are delighted that Arts Council England has extended its Lottery funding for Southbank Centre. They have been extremely supportive ever since the beginning of this project. This generous investment will enable us to reap the rewards of success and to continue to deliver a world-class, innovative and inspiring artistic programme.
“The award also acknowledges more broadly that, in recent years, the South Bank has become one of the world’s most important cultural quarters. With our iconic and accessible venues and our exciting artistic plans, we can make a major contribution to the cultural life of the nation as a whole.”
Over the last 14 years, Arts Council England has invested around £1.4 billion of National Lottery funds in arts venues around the country, through its Capital programme. This work has transformed our national arts infrastructure by creating or updating iconic buildings like Sage Gateshead, Royal Shakespeare Theatre Stratford upon Avon, Sadlers Wells, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Brighton Dome, FACT, Aldeborough, the Royal National Theatre and St Lukes LSO.
For more information about this funding or about Arts Council England contact:
Louise Wylie, Director of Media Relations, Arts Council England
Tel: 020 7973 5528 / 07912 998 955 or email louise.wylie@artscouncil.org.uk
For more information about Southbank Centre contact:
Alison Cole, Director of Communications, Southbank Centre
Tel. 020 7921 0901 / 07711 600 649
Notes for editors:
Arts Council England works to get great art to more people. We develop and promote the arts across England, acting as an independent body at arm’s length from government.
Between 2008 and 2011, we will invest £1.6 billion of public money from government and the National Lottery in supporting the arts.
This is the bedrock of support for the arts in England. We believe that the arts have the power to change lives and communities, and to create opportunities for people throughout the country.
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