Gloucester Guildhall given funding boost

It'll be used to revamp rehearsal and performance spaces

Gloucester Guildhall
Author: Phoebe GreggorPublished 10th May 2022

Gloucester’s Guildhall has been awarded £230,702 for a revamp to enhance their “exciting range” of live and digital performances.

The funding is part of the £22.7 million Arts Council England is allocating to help 66 cultural organisations across the country transform their buildings and equipment.

The hope is this funding boost will help venues operate safely after the coronavirus pandemic, improve access, seize technological opportunities, and reduce environmental impact.

The Arts Council England says all the organisations to receive funding share a vision to build a fit for the future cultural sector that will benefit communities for years to come.

The funding awarded to the Guildhall is aimed at helping them deliver an exciting range of live and digital performances in this city centre venue for ‘Guildhall Galvanised’.

They say this investment will help invigorate the venue located in the heart of the city, through the upgrading of the rehearsal and performance spaces.

This will enable a step change in high quality programming across a range of genres, including music, dance, and spoken word, The Arts Council England says.

New systems and a refurbished bar will help the venue to generate further income, giving even more return on public investment, and bring more cultural opportunities to the local community of Gloucester, an Art Council England priority place.

Arts Council England chief executive officer Darren Henley said: “World class creativity and culture needs a resilient and sustainable infrastructure to allow it to flourish.

“With these investments in the buildings, equipment and digital systems of cultural organisations across England, we are helping to secure the future of that infrastructure, and making sure that people from every part of the country can continue enjoying all the benefits it delivers for years to come.”

South West area director Phil Gibby said The Arts Council are delighted to announce over £2.17 million of investment, awarded to six organisations across the South West today: “These organisations already play an important role in their local communities, and this investment will allow them to improve access, seize on technological opportunities, and reduce their environmental impact, thereby strengthening their cultural offer.

“As a result, more people in more places will have access to high quality and sustainable culture, right on their doorsteps.

“We look forward to seeing these projects develop and cannot wait to witness the impact of this investment across the region. We believe in the power of the arts, and these organisations are helping us to achieve the ten-year vision we set out in Let’s Create.”

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