The City of London Corporation has today approved a £191 million funding package to support critical repairs and upgrades at the iconic Barbican Centre.
Elected Members of the City Corporation’s top decision-making body, the Court of Common Council, agreed the move this afternoon (Thursday 5 December).
The package will fund phase one of the Barbican Renewal Programme, a five-year project of works to secure the future of this internationally renowned, grade-II listed site.
The Barbican Centre was opened by HM The Queen in 1982, who declared it ‘one of the wonders of the modern world’. Future works will safeguard its future as a leading arts venue by making it fit for the 21st century, with improvements to accessibility and energy efficiency.
The Programme is one of several transformative projects being delivered by the City Corporation, including the Salisbury Square Development, which will house the new City of London Police HQ and multi-courts complex, and the new London Museum at West Smithfield. The Barbican Renewal Programme is a key component of Destination City, the City Corporation’s growth strategy for the Square Mile as a world-leading business, culture and leisure location.
The City Corporation’s £191m contribution represents around 80% of the amount needed for the first five-year phase of the Barbican’s long-term renewal programme.
A major fundraising campaign will be launched by the Barbican Centre in 2025 to enable the complete restoration and refurbishment of key public spaces at the venue. This includes upgrades to its unique brutalist foyers, lakeside terrace, and conservatory – the largest glasshouse in central London.
Funding raised will open up these celebrated spaces to all, deliver major new creative community and learning activities, and make major sustainability improvements to ensure net-zero commitments are met.
As one of the world’s leading multi-arts venues, the Barbican Centre has showcased groundbreaking art from around the world for over four decades.
It reaches 1.5 million people each year with initiatives aimed at ensuring the widest possible range of people can experience the power of art.
The project will sensitively preserve the complex, respecting its Grade II listed status, and the original architectural vision of the arts centre, which is now more than 40 years old. Built between 1971-1982, the Barbican relies on aged and outdated systems, and an ambitious programme of restoration is needed.
City Corporation Policy Chairman, Chris Hayward, said:
“The Barbican Centre is a fantastic international venue with an exciting future. This funding underlines our support, recognising its unique role as a leading cultural institution and driver of economic growth, contributing £86 million a year to the UK economy and supporting around than 1,100 jobs across London.
“The Barbican Centre is central to the Square Mile’s cultural identity and plays a pivotal role in our attractiveness as a place to work and visit.”
