Administrators have been called in at the community arts organisation The Public, following revelations that its flagship new building in the centre of West Bromwich in the West Midlands is unlikely to be completed within its £53.9m budget. The building, which was designed by Will Alsop and is heralded as the largest community arts development in Europe, is only weeks away from completion, and is due to be operational in July 2006, with an official launch in September.
It is set to form a core element in the Cultural Strategy of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC) and the central focus of the regeneration strategy for West Bromwich. It will house community and performance spaces, a family learning centre, conference and events spaces, and gallery and exhibition spaces, as well as a restaurant, café, and offices for new businesses start-ups. The development has been funded by a £26.5m Lottery grant from Arts Council England (ACE), together with major funding from Advantage West Midlands, the Regional Development Agency for the area, and from Sandwell MBC. The shortfall in the project budget is thought to be in the region of £23m, though revenue funding estimated at around £1.5m from various funders, including Sandwell MBC and ACE, has already been agreed to cover future running costs. All the main funders are keen for the building to be completed and opened for arts purposes. Announcing the halt to the building project, Chief Executive, Sylvia King, pointed to the efforts made to resolve a range of issues with the buildings funders, but said that the trustees had no alternative but to appoint administrators &to protect our staff, our creditors and the vision of The Public. It is hoped that the organisation will be allowed to keep trading as a going concern, and commitments to community arts projects currently being delivered are being honoured. However, the jobs of all 81 staff are now at risk. Councillor Bob Badham, Sandwells Cabinet member for regeneration, said, We have made available to the company all the resources we said we were committing, and have gone out of our way to give all the help we can& We remain committed to the project and are confident that a solution can be found to ensure the opening of the building as a centre for art, learning, regeneration and the creative industries.
Published: 13-03-2006