50 years on, Vin Harrop reflects on the colourful history of the first purpose-built arts centre to be opened in the UK after the Second World War.
On September 21 it will be our art centre’s 50th birthday. A multi-purpose arts venue the first of its kind in the UK. Basildon undertook an experiment in local government that saw the most extraordinary explosion of art, architecture, music, theatre, literature and film with fully equipped art studios, an art gallery and an external sculpture arena.
This was inaugurated by Lord Arnold Goodman then chairman of the Arts Council of Great Britain, who said in his opening speech “…I am told that it is unique in being the first Art Centre specially designed and tailored for all its functions since the war”. This turned out to be the centre of the universe so far as local practising artists were concerned and those interested in the arts, too as witnessed by the recently realised film, ‘New Town Utopia, by Christopher Smith...Keep reading on Basildon Echo
On September 21 it will be our art centre’s 50th birthday. A multi-purpose arts venue the first of its kind in the UK. Basildon undertook an experiment in local government that saw the most extraordinary explosion of art, architecture, music, theatre, literature and film with fully equipped art studios, an art gallery and an external sculpture arena.
This was inaugurated by Lord Arnold Goodman then chairman of the Arts Council of Great Britain, who said in his opening speech “…I am told that it is unique in being the first Art Centre specially designed and tailored for all its functions since the war”. This turned out to be the centre of the universe so far as local practising artists were concerned and those interested in the arts, too as witnessed by the recently realised film, ‘New Town Utopia, by Christopher Smith...Keep reading on Basildon Echo