A fresh new vision and direction for the arts has been unveiled as the Lincoln Arts Centre opens its doors as the new home for contemporary visual and performing arts in and around Lincoln, nurturing the next generation of artists and artistic ideas.
Although the building itself has been open since 2008, its reimagining and renaming marks a key milestone for the future of creativity and the arts in Lincoln.
Part of the University of Lincoln’s wider ‘Strategy for Arts, Culture and Heritage’ the Lincoln Arts Centre is the first step in the journey to making Lincoln the ‘go-to’ place to experience the creative arts. This vision will also be enhanced with the addition of the Barbican Creative Hub, a place to inspire and develop creative businesses, which opens in 2024.
Ben Anderson, Creative and Executive Director of Lincoln Arts Centre said: “This is a very exciting time for the arts in Lincolnshire. The launch of the Lincoln Arts Centre is going to inspire future artists and provide a venue that the city will be proud of.
“In September last year we asked people from around the Lincoln area to let us know what we could do to shape the future of the arts.
“We had 260 responses and engaged in many conversations that have resulted in the Lincoln Arts Centre. The creative world around us has changed, and we wanted to make sure we changed with it.
“Our focus on artistic innovation, research and talent development will ensure that there will always be a home for the next generation of artists in Lincoln.”
This wide-reaching programme of activities has also benefited from funding by Arts Council England. The University of Lincoln, UK, has recently been awarded with Arts Council’s National Portfolio of Organisations status from 2023 until 2026, which will allow for the further development of the arts in Lincoln.
