Louise Mitchell (left) with Kerry McCarthy MP
Colston Hall has unveiled plans for its multi-million pound redevelopment project.
The team behind the £45m redevelopment plans for Bristol’s iconic venue has put together a strategic blueprint for its vision.
This shows how the transformation will positively impact on every single child in the city, as well as catapulting the venue and the people who use it into the heart of the UK’s creative industries, worth around £71.4bn annually.
While modernising and enhancing the aesthetics of the interiors play a key part in the plans, the focus is on creating dynamic, flexible spaces that are fit for purpose in an age where venues are required to multi-task on a daily basis.
The result will be a building that can accommodate intimate musical performances, large-scale corporate conferences, recording studios, educational spaces and much more.
The emphasis on cultural and creative education will see Bristol aiming to take the lead as the UK Capital of Young People’s Music, as well as developing and delivering a world-class music centre, engaging both children and adults from all backgrounds and all levels of ability.
Commercially, the venue will also generate significantly increased levels of revenue once the refurbishment is complete, with the potential to exceed current audience places by almost 70% every day.
The building will also be able to accommodate a much greater range of events from the wider Bristol business, cultural and education communities.
Louise Mitchell, Chief Executive at Colston Hall, comments: “Colston Hall has a rich history in musical performances which many Bristol residents will already know about, and we are keen to ensure these continue for many years to come.
“Entertainment plays a core part of what the transformation programme will offer, with 5,000 free and affordably-priced tickets being offered each year to ensure a greater diversity of audiences can enjoy music of all kinds.
“But what our vision offers is far greater than this: it’s to see Bristol as a nationally recognised beacon for music education and innovation.
“Our strategic blueprint outlines our commitment to developing a Creative, Enterprise and Music Education Centre – where we can-deliver a huge number of services to support music professionals, teachers, students, commercial arts enterprise start-ups, specialised educational facilities for children and much more.
“The combination of entertainment and education will see Colston Hall become the future for music in the South West, with unparalleled facilities for audiences of all ages, securing the region’s place at the centre of creative industries in the UK.”