Jacksons Lane has received notification of second-stage funding of £2.26m from Arts Council England’s Large Capital Grants scheme, funded by the National Lottery, to support its 2020 capital redevelopment project.
The funding is a crucial contribution to the centre’s £5.1m redevelopment programme, overseen by architects Citizens Design Bureau, which will transform Jacksons Lane’s Grade II-listed building and secure its position as the UK’s leading venue for contemporary circus, creative learning and community involvement.
The capital project will reimagine the building’s interior to create studio spaces that are stimulating, well-equipped and, for the first time, entirely physically accessible. The foyer will be dramatically expanded and Jacksons Lane’s auditorium will be sensitively enhanced to reveal striking historical features and improve audience experience.
On completion, Jacksons Lane bursts with activity, morning, noon and night, offering a vibrant programme of artistic work and creative learning opportunities. It will build on its reputation as the UK’s leading supporter of contemporary circus to become the home of excellence for all non-verbal theatre. It will increase opportunities offered to young people passionate about pursuing a career in the arts. The centre will reflect London’s diversity across artists, audiences and staff, and it will move forward sustainably into the next 45 years and beyond.
Jacksons Lane is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England, one of only two such organisations in London to be awarded a Large Capital Grant. The project has already garnered support from Haringey Council, who have committed £1m to the project. The centre’s public fundraising campaign, Love Jacksons Lane, launches this month to raise the remaining £1.7m needed to complete the project.
Adrian Berry, Artistic Director of Jacksons Lane, said: “Everyone at Jacksons Lane is absolutely thrilled by this news. We can now look to deliver even more exciting, diverse arts performance and engagement in a building that our audiences and artists can be proud of. This is such an achievement for the entire team.”
