Features Section

Leicester's Cultural Quarter

A major development in the re-birth of the City has been the emergence of the Cultural Quarter. Artsin's editorial office is based in the Quarter. We take a look at what lies around us.

Artsin takes a look at what has happened and what is out there now.

Photo: Creativity Works.

The centre piece of Leicester's Cultural Quarter is CURVE, the name given to the new multi-million pound theatre (shown on the left in the above picture.)

Designed by internationally renowned Rafael Viñoly Architects, Curve is the only new Theatre to be built in Europe in recent times. The building was given a prestigious award by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). It cost a staggering £61 to build and fit with the latest equipment. With an auditorium limited to a mere 800 seats, most critics see the new theatre as being too small to attract many of the larger shows that now go to centres like Birmingham and Nottingham. Lauded by local councillors as "world class" and "iconic", the expensive venue has so far produced a disappointing programme of shows.

Photo by Richard Brine

Criticised by government watchdog The Audit Commission, the project ran into trouble when scrutineers found it was £35 million over budget due to changes being made while the building was going up. Some commentators have said that it is too early judge the success of the project and that only time well tell if the money spent has been worth it. Political leaders see CURVE as being the flagship of city centre regeneration.

Opened by HM The Queen in November 2008, the building now attracts a variety of comments, ranging from "wonderful" to "white elephant". The programme of shows is planned and delivered by the Leicester Theatre Trust, in collaboration with Leicester City Council (who also run the De Montfort Hall.)

The area around CURVE is known as the St. George's Conservation Area and it is the immediate area around the new theatre that is being called the "Cultural Quarter". Streets have been re-paved and fitted with optics and the area has been brightened up with multi-colored lights. Major shopping thoroughfare, Gallowtree gate has also had a face lift with new paving and colored lighting.

Another brand new building opened it doors this year: The new digital media centre, not far from the theatre in Rutland Street but situated off the beaten track in a rather run down back street location.

The centre in Morledge Street cost over £21 million and is a multi-use project including a cinema, work spaces for media businesses and apartments. The building is intended to take over from the Pheonix Arts Centre, just off The Newark, and is called Phoenix Square.

Standing right by the side of Curve, is The Athena Theatre. Converted from the 1938 Odeon Cinema, the Athena bears all the hallmarks of the Odeon Style of the 1930s. The re-vamped venue opened in 2005 and has a capacity of nearly 1,300 and now caters for shows, exhibitions, conferences and dinners.

Photo: Nicholas Kane

Not far from Curve and The Athena, is another new building, The Leicester Creative Business depot. Converted from the entrails of the Leicester City Bus Depot, the two-block site now offers offices and studios for arts and creative businesses and organisations. It was in fact the birthplace of Arts in Leicestershire, when we had an studio there, three years ago (in the block shown in the above picture.)

Run by the City Council, the complex features rentable spaces, a cafe, an exhibition hall and meeting rooms. The project proved popular and nearly all of the units were filled within two years of the opening. The building houses the Leicester Comedy Festival and the organisers of the Caribbean Carnival were also based there for a while. Leicester largest record label, Horus Music also has an office there.

Websites

The Athena Theatre

Curve Theatre

The LCB Depot

Phoenix Square Digital media Centre