Arts centre to mark 50 years of community

Centre director Doreen Foster said the arts centre had inspired, provoked and empowered people for five decades

An arts venue is planning a month-long series of events and projects to celebrate its 50th anniversary later this year.

Warwick Arts Centre, which includes a theatre, cinema, restaurant and exhibition spaces, opened in November 1974 on the University of Warwick's campus in Coventry.

To mark the occasion, the venue will host a series of community-led events and feature "art that speaks to societal change".

Centre Director Doreen Foster described it as "a beacon of creativity and community" which continued to "inspire, provoke and empower".

She added the season would celebrate it "as a place for radical thinking" and "reaffirm our commitment to making the arts accessible to everyone".

"We remain dedicated to creating a welcoming, inclusive space where artists and audiences alike can come together to explore new ideas and challenge the status quo," Ms Foster said.

An exhibition called Material Worlds, exploring themes of resistance and resilience through textile arts, has been curated in partnership with the Hayward Gallery, part of the Southbank Centre in London.

In addition, Coventry-based textile artist Julia O'Connell was commissioned to work with 150 residents in the city to create a quilt that "embodies the spirit of community expression and activism".

The anniversary programme also includes a variety of live events and performances such as "After the Act" by university alumni company Breach Theatre and a community takeover of performance spaces on 30 November.

Warwick Arts Centre opened 50 years ago

The centre was extended and renovated over the years with a concert space called " The Butterworth Hall" added in the 1980s and a glass atrium foyer roof a decade later.

A four-year £25.5m redevelopment saw it close its doors temporarily in 2017 for construction work that added cinema and restaurant spaces and was completed in 2021.

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