Good morning,
We’re pleased to let you know that the City of London Corporation has agreed £25 million in funding for the next phase of the Barbican Renewal Programme. We’re grateful for this generous vote of confidence from the Corporation.
This is the beginning of a programme that will sensitively conserve our Grade II listed building, while seizing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to radically reimagine what an arts centre can be. The Barbican’s purpose as a creative catalyst is to spark possibilities for artists, audiences, and communities – to present performances, events and exhibitions that entertain and inspire millions of people, create connections, provoke debate, and reflect the world we live in. Fundamental to this is the renewal of our brilliant Barbican building.
Over the next two years, the funding will be focused on two priority areas:
• A programme of early infrastructure work to care for our building, ensure the reliability of core systems, and boost environmental performance
• The development of more detailed proposals for key areas of the site, within the context of an overarching masterplan
This next phase builds on the work done by award-winning design team – led by Allies and Morrison, Asif Khan Studio and Buro Happold – since they were appointed in 2022. Over the last 15 months, the Barbican Renewal Programme team has been consulting widely to understand what audiences, artists, local communities, and the wider public want from the scheme.
The overarching vision for the programme is to care for and invest in the Barbican Centre building, celebrating its radical vision, and design heritage, while responding to the creative opportunities and challenges of the future - all without adding a single square metre of extra building.
We’re excited to continue working with our accomplished design team, current and future users of our building, and the wider community to now develop the next stage of plans that will deliver on this vision. We look forward to carry on the conversation with you as the programme develops.
Best wishes,
The Barbican Renewal team