Arts and Amenities
The Trust is passionate in its campaigning for the improvement of the city’s cultural and business facilities and is represented on a number of relevant partnership groups, most notably the Leeds Cultural Partnership and the Leeds Property Forum’s Cultural, Sports and Business Facilities Group. The past year has been very encouraging.
Major Cultural and Business Facilities
It was a landmark day for Leeds, when on 1 June 2007 when the City Council issued the Market Brief for the 12,500-seat Leeds Indoor Arena project. By October 2007 ‘long lists’ of operators and developers will have been drawn up, and the final selection for each role will be made by 26 March 2008 and 11 August 2008 respectively.
The Council has requested that bidders ‘consider the merits of including conference and exhibition facilities’, so it is letting the market decide on this. Certainly, securing an arena must be given top priority to securing an arena but we believe that conference and exhibition facilities will do so much for the vitality and standing of the city that they should be included if at all possible.
The location of the arena is an absolutely crucial issue. Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool all demonstrate the importance and benefit of siting the arena in the heart of the city. It must be walkable from the railway station both for convenience and to maximise the economic spin-offs for the city centre.
Town Hall
During the year the Council commissioned further investigations of the potential for upgrading Leeds Town Hall. On initial viewing the results look promising. Around £22 million could produce much improved facilities for performers and the front of house could be radically improved by punching arches through the corridor walls to create large open-arcades crush bars in the perimeter rooms.
The Victoria Hall itself could have a new balcony, ten rows of removable tiered seating at the back of the ground floor; and an enlarged stage. The acoustic problems seem to be solvable, while a 200-seat second performance space can be created in the north-east corner pavilion.
In the coming months the Council is to progress detailed design work while consulting key stakeholders on the suitability of what is proposed. The scheme would provide significant benefits before thoughts turn again to a new concert hall.
Museums and the Visual Arts
After almost a decade of lobbying and working in partnership with Leeds City Council, the completion of the new City Museum is in sight. In July the pleasant and ‘state of the art’ Discovery Centre (the City Museum store and resource centre) opened at Clarence Dock.
In August (2007) the considerably modified shell of the Leeds Institute building in Millennium Square was handed over to the Museum Service ready for the fitting out. It now has the air of a grand civic museum. Notwithstanding continuing robust discussions about how the Leeds Story should be told in the museum, when it opens in 2008 the creation of the museum will be a very major achievement for Leeds, and the city will have facilities of which it can be justly proud.
Through the Leeds Art Gallery External Reference Group we have been able to contribute the Trust’s advice on the future of this under-performing Leeds institution.
This year has seen a spectacular improvement to the Art Gallery, with the wonderful renovation of the former sculpture gallery, now renamed, the Tiled Hall, accommodating a stylish cafe and gallery bookshop. The rest of the gallery has been redecorated, the floors renewed, the former Art Library converted to a white box’ temporary exhibition gallery, new lifts have been installed and direct access created to the Central Library. The next step is to fulfil the aspiration to extend the gallery.
The Performing Arts
The Grand Theatre reopened to much acclaim in the autumn 2006 following its £23 million modernisation and refurbishment programme. The focus in 2007 has been on progressing the Phase II plans for the £10.5 million renovation of the disused 1879 Assembly Rooms next door. They will be used for rehearsals, public performances and educational purposes. The scheme will be completed by autumn 2008 includes the restoration of the frontage of the Grand and the improvement of its entrance area and foyers.
During the year the Trust Planning Committee was also consulted on exciting proposals for improving the City Varieties.
Kevin Grady
Director