The City of London Corporation has backed the next stage in the development of the proposed Centre for Music. An additional £1.95 million has been pledged to commission further work on the proposals including the funding model and technical studies to inform the site masterplan.
The City Corporation, the fourth largest funder of heritage and cultural activities in the UK, has now pledged £6.8m in funding, including a detailed business case into its viability, and plans on design development, fundraising and business modelling.
The proposed Centre for Music aims to inspire a new generation with a love of music, harnessing the power of three internationally recognised cultural organisations, the Barbican, London Symphony Orchestra, and Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
The new world-class venue for performance and education, designed by New York architects, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, would be built on the site of the Museum of London, which in turn would relocate to West Smithfield.
According to a press release, the Centre for Music ‘will transform the way in which music is made, discovered and shared’.
Sir Nicholas Kenyon, managing director, Barbican, Kathryn McDowell CBE, managing director, London Symphony Orchestra and Lynne Williams, principal, Guildhall School of Music and Drama said: ‘This is great news for the Centre for Music. The £1.95 million funding package from the City of London Corporation enables us to develop plans in more detail. Working with our design and technical team we can now move forward confidently with the next stage of the project’s development.
The next phase of work will develop a broader site plan to create new public spaces and improve access to and around the site.
