£100k raised towards Build Brighton Dome
Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival are delighted to announce that over £100,000 has been raised towards #BuildBrightonDome, the community appeal in support of our transformative project to redevelop the nationally-important Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre.
The appeal aims to reach out to the Brighton & Hove community over the next nine weeks to unlock the remaining target and help complete the ambitious renovations.
Over 5000 people, have so far pledged funds to contribute towards this milestone, as well as a number of trusts and local businesses. Brighton-based Belgian chip company, BeFries, have donated 50p from each jar in their range of over 25 sauces sold in the past few weeks with other Brighton institutions such as Moshimo following suit.
Donations have been matched pound for pound by the Roddick Foundation, taking the total raised so far to £100,000
Kathy Caton, Founder of Brighton Gin and a supporter of the project says: “We should do everything we can to preserve our arts and cultural spaces. We lose these spaces at our peril and once they're gone they don't come back. To have such a massive space right in the physical and cultural centre of Brighton is vital - it is so important to me that our town has something of such cultural resonance right at the heart of it.”
The major refurbishment - the first phase of a wider project to restore and reunite the Royal Pavilion Estate - has already attracted significant donations from the National Lottery through Arts Council England (ACE) and Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), and the Coast to Capital Local Growth fund, as well as commitments from the city council, charitable trusts and individual patrons. Reviving long-lost heritage features and creating new state-of-the-art facilities, key developments include a magnificent Corn Exchange viewing gallery, a dedicated creative space for workshops and rehearsals, and a new street-facing café opening out onto New Road.
The works at Brighton Dome Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre are the first phase of a wider project to re-affirm Brighton’s Royal Pavilion Estate as a key cultural destination by equipping it for a sustainable future. The longer-term vision aims to reunite the historic Estate created by George IV in the early 19th century to create a centre for heritage, culture and the performing arts which reflects the unique spirit of Brighton. The project will develop, deepen and broaden the cultural tourism offer of Brighton & Hove and significantly contribute to the city’s cultural and economic wellbeing. It is anticipated that the revitalised Royal Pavilion Estate will support 1,241 FTE jobs and have an economic impact of up to £68m.