Phoenix rises in Southampton

Plans for Southampton’s beleaguered £21m New Arts Complex (SNAC) move one step closer to fruition as a planning application is finally submitted to Southampton City Council, three years after it was originally due to open. Jimmy Chestnutt, Chief Executive of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, called the application a “significant step” in what has been a difficult journey. SNAC was due to be completed in 2008 but was hit by the property slump when its original developers, City Lofts, went into administration in 2008.

However, plans have changed since SNAC was first proposed, with Art Asia and the Nuffield Theatre no longer relocating their headquarters to form part of the complex. According to Vinod Desai MBE, Chief Executive of Art Asia, it has “been progressively excluded from planning for the arts complex, and we are left with no option but to request a repayment of the £0.75m Lottery funding which we secured in 2001, so that it can be put to the intended use of providing a home for a culturally diverse arts organisation.” A spokesperson for Arts Council England (ACE) told us that Art Asia has not formally requested a refund. ACE, which funds Art Asia, the Nuffield Theatre and Southampton City Council as part of its National Portfolio, said: “It would be inappropriate for us to go into detail the of the future arts programme in the building until Southampton City Council have concluded discussions with all those involved. We will continue to support the capital project and work closely with Southampton City Council to finalise the details of the National Portfolio funding agreement.” Councillor John Hannides, Cabinet Member of Southampton City Council for Leisure and Culture, told AP: “We are working closely with ACE to meet the conditions of our substantial grant, and as part of this will be developing the proposals that will secure appropriate artistic leadership and the performing arts content for the complex. Whilst the specific nature of the involvement of some local organisations may have changed, we hope that there will be an opportunity for them and other organisations to contribute to the arts complex’s success.” Kate Anderson, Executive Director of the Nuffield Theatre, said: “The Council will be looking at the specification of operating the new arts complex later this year, and whether we are directly involved or not we are keen to do what we can to ensure that it fulfils its potential.”

Current plans for Southampton’s cultural quarter include six restaurant units and 29 flats, in addition to SNAC, which will comprise a performing arts auditorium and studio, a contemporary art gallery (John Hansard, University of Southampton) and film/media facilities (City Eye). Anderson told AP: “The City has a number of excellent arts organisations but has lacked the city centre visibility that the new arts complex will provide, and we are delighted that Southampton City Council has had the vision to invest in this when many others are reducing their spending on the arts.”

Work is now due to begin on the site in the early part of 2012, with the main structure scheduled for completion by 2013. The ACE spokesperson explained that “the level of funding offered will enable them to establish artistic leadership and grow audience development. This is a key element of our strategic work with Southampton.” The City Council hopes that the new cultural quarter will attract tens of thousands of people to the city every year and create more than 300 direct jobs.