Salisbury Arts Centre

Salisbury Arts Centre is a venue for theatre, music, dance, comedy, family shows, films, exhibitions, and workshops based in Wiltshire, United Kingdom. It is a registered charity (number 1023945)[1] which provides opportunities for members of the community to experience the arts.

Salisbury Arts Centre (formerly St Edmund's church)

The centre stages a range of educational and community events,[2] many of them free,[3] and it also participates at events in and around the city, including the Larmer Tree Festival.

The centre is based in the deconsecrated Grade II* listed[4] St Edmund's Church building on Bedwin Street, Salisbury. Its main performance space can hold 164 people seated or 400 standing. It also has a studio space called the White Room that seats 60, a media space, a multi-purpose arts and crafts space, a pottery studio, an exhibition space, a café, a bar, and staff offices.

As well as its regular programme, Salisbury Arts Centre organises a range of education and outreach projects that take place in and around the city.

History

In July 1974, the Salisbury Festival of the Arts (now Salisbury International Arts Festival) was held in the building with a programme of classical music and an exhibition of batik paintings. The festival programme asked visitors to suggest ideas for the use of the building, and in 1975 the church's committee agreed to grant use as an arts venue.[4] St Edmunds Arts Trust was established and a group of volunteers coordinated exhibitions from local artists, and workshops for various crafts.

The Arts Centre continued to develop in the next decades. Between 1979 and 1981, Sir Henry Moore loaned his Reclining Figure (Time Life 1953) to the Centre, where it was positioned outside the main entrance.

By the 1990s the Arts Centre was threatened with closure due to funding cuts but supporters from the community soon launched a "Save Our Arts Centre" campaign.[5] A new funding plan was accepted and the Arts Centre carried on.

By 2003 the Arts Centre had raised funds for a refurbishment project. The £4.2m capital re-development improved the heating, added new level flooring, created various spaces within the main building, improved the toilets, installed new technical equipment, and added an extension.[6] Salisbury Arts Centre reopened in 2005 with a new programme of events.[7]

Notable activities

Salisbury Arts Centre regularly programmes disability events[8] and works in collaboration with disability arts organisations.[9] It works with various community groups[10] and provides free events, including the annual Family Fiesta[11] and the regular Live Lunches.[12]

The Arts Centre supports a number of resident artists, including ceramicist Mirka Golden-Hann, who studies colour and glaze technology. Its gallery also mounts a variety of exhibitions.[13]

The Centre also hosts concerts, including the regular Altar Club band nights,[14] film nights,[15] and other cultural events. A number of entertainers have performed at Salisbury Arts Centre early in their careers; for example the Manic Street Preachers played in November 1990.[16]

In 2015 the Centre was in the news after local residents protested the sudden removal of all municipal funding.[17][18]

gollark: Because they would probably damage things and thus be bad.
gollark: > I'm a very quiet polite person. I have agoraphobia, I never leave or bother anyone> Tbh I'm about to just beat him sensless.
gollark: Well, it might be rude, but it would be ruder and also probably a crime to break their camera.
gollark: Damaging people's things would be a crime. Also trespassing.
gollark: Trying to get revenge on them for... having a camera pointed at you... by breaking the camera probably would not work out very well for you.

References
  1. Open Charities. "St Edmunds Arts Trust".
  2. Arts Council England. "National Portfolio Organisations". Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  3. Blake, Morwenna. "Centre's Events are an Asset to the City". Salisbury Journal. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  4. English Heritage. "Former Church of St Edmund, Salisbury". British Listed Buildings.
  5. Geocaching. "Description of Salisbury Arts Centre".
  6. Harris, Brian. "Capital Case Study: Salisbury Arts Centre" (PDF). Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  7. "Fanfare and cheers greet arts centre reopening". Gazette and Herald. 26 May 2005. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  8. "People Like You at Arts Centre". Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  9. "Salisbury Arts Centre Leads Consortium to Catalyst Arts Success". Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  10. Morwenna, Blake. "Community Arts Project in Tidworth". Salisbury Journal. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  11. Meech, Ruth. "Salisbury Arts Centre to Hold Free Family Fiesta". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  12. Blake, Morwenna. "Musical Treats at Arts Centre". Salisbury Journal. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  13. "Salisbury Arts Centre houses crochet coral reef display". BBC Wiltshire.
  14. Stock, Christine (2 July 2015). "Sounds like classic punk". Salisbury Journal. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  15. "Results from Salisbury Arts Centre's Preloader Heat". Media Hubbub, 17 Feb 2011
  16. "Salisbury Gig History". BBC. 30 March 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  17. Riddle, Joe (15 May 2015). "Angry protests against "tragic" Salisbury Arts Centre's budget cut". Salisbury Journal. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  18. Hemley, Matthew (13 March 2015). "Salisbury Arts Centre describes 100% funding cut as a "huge blow"". The Stage. Retrieved 14 December 2016.

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