Four years late and significantly over budget, a new cultural arena opened in Manchester yesterday with an immersive performance directed by Danny Boyle.
Aviva Studios is the UK’s largest investment in a national cultural project since Tate Modern in 2000 and will host a year-round programme of art, music and cultural events.
Large open spaces within the 13,350m2 building are designed to be reconfigured flexibly, enabling artists to create ‘large-scale ambitious works of a kind not seen anywhere else in the world’.
The venue was due to open in 2019 and cost £110m.
It has cost £218m so far, with funding from the Government (£99m), Manchester City Council (£73m), the National Lottery via Arts Council England (£7m), topped up by external funding.
Costs are expected to rise by another £22m with completion of the venue.
It is predicted that Aviva Studios will add £1.1 billion to the region’s economy over the next decade and support up to 1,500 jobs. The venue will also serve as a training centre for the creative workforce.
Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig said the opening was 'a landmark moment for culture not just in Manchester but the North of England and indeed the UK as a whole'.
Cllr Craig: ‘This internationally-important venue, extraordinary in its scale and ambition, will open up a world of possibilities for people in this city – inspiring creativity and nurturing careers in the arts.’
