The Bluecoat will receive £680,000 from Arts Council England, thanks to its Government-funded Capital Investment Programme..
The capital investment will enable the Bluecoat to refurbish and reconfigure its first floor café/bar, known by visitors as ‘The Bistro’. The space will be redeveloped into a large publicly-accessible event and performance area with a sound and lighting system which will enhance the events programme, increase visitor numbers and audiences while helping the organisation to become more environmentally and financially sustainable.
This funding will enable the Grade I listed arts organisation to continue providing high quality creative and cultural experiences for people in Liverpool.
The Capital Investment Programme supports the Arts Council’s mission to ensure communities across the country have the infrastructure where creativity for everyone can thrive.
Mary Cloake, CEO, The Bluecoat Said:
“This investment from ACE is transformative. At Bluecoat we will be able to realise our long-standing ambition to offer an enhanced live and performing arts programme, alongside a wide range of other activities. It will increase the capacity of our venue enabling us to include many more people in our work. At the same time we’ll be able to retain the distinctive historic ambience of this space within the UKs oldest arts centre. We look forward to welcoming everyone to our new space before long”.
Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England said:
“This infrastructure investment will help a whole range of different cultural organisations across England to flourish, increasing opportunities for people to enjoy creatively excellent cultural events close to where they live. It’s particularly important that we’re making this happen in communities where cultural investment has historically been low”.
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Libraries, said:
“Cultural venues enrich our lives, and it’s vital that their infrastructure matches the excellence of the creative work that goes on inside them.
"Our funding is helping both to create new venues and to adapt existing ones to make them more accessible, helping to deliver the Government’s plan to make sure that everyone, no matter where they live or what their background, has access to excellent, life-changing cultural opportunities.”
Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing & Culture said:
"The Bluecoat is a bedrock of culture in Liverpool City and we are delighted that this investment from Arts Council England will enable them to create a new live events space which will add to the offer in the city and help make Bluecoat more sustainable in the future. This is a vote of confidence by ACE in Bluecoat and in Liverpool's fabulous and vibrant culture."
