Centre for Music Takes Another Step Forward with New Funding Secured

The City of London Corporation has backed the next stage in the development of the proposed Centre for Music, awarding the project a further £1.95 million

• Centre for Music confirms £1.95 million funding to take the project onto the next stage
• Support from the City of London Corporation for the proposed transformation of the current Museum of London site to form a new gateway to Culture Mile
• Next phase of work will develop a broader site masterplan to create new public spaces and improve access to and around the site

Plans for a Centre for Music in the City of London have been advanced thanks to support from the City of London Corporation. 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 combined vision of three internationally recognised cultural organisations, the Barbican, London Symphony Orchestra and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, is a Centre for Music that will be a world-class venue for performance and education, built for the digital age.

In collaboration with local, national and global partners, the Centre for Music will transform the way in which music is made, discovered and shared. With an emphasis on learning and discovery, world class physical spaces will be combined with state-of-the-art technology to transform how people of all ages and backgrounds can experience music of all genres.

The proposed Centre for Music will play a key role in widening access, developing skills, providing jobs and training and bring about positive social outcomes, reinforcing the vital role that music plays right across society.

Located on the current Museum of London site, the project masterplan will reimagine and transform the area, acting as a catalyst for wider regeneration. Additional highwalks will be created, and the current roundabout will be removed, improving access to and permeability across the site, with pedestrians given greater priority. Plans also see enhanced public access to the historic Roman Wall.

The landmark Centre for Music development will support the City’s long-term aspiration to encourage collaboration between some of London’s foremost cultural icons and promote innovation through the emerging Culture Mile.

Newly improved routes linking north-south between the City and Tate Modern, and east-west with the arrival of the Elizabeth Line will encourage residents and tourists alike to explore on foot and by bike, experiencing the cultural offer of London in a new way.

The business case for the Centre for Music envisages a business model with no public subsidy required for running costs. Operational costs would instead be met through commercial opportunities provided by the new spaces with the Centre for Music. Refinement of a robust Capital Funding Model will be part of this next stage of work.

Sir Nicholas Kenyon, Managing Director, Barbican; Kathryn McDowell CBE, Managing Director, London Symphony Orchestra and Lynne Williams, Principal, Guildhall School of Music & 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”.