Ground Breaking Event Great Success
Yesterday’s ground breaking ceremony was a great success. Friends and Patrons of Northern Ballet Theatre, supporters of our building project as well as members of the Board, staff and dancers from NBT and Phoenix gathered together on Quarry Hill in central Leeds to witness the ground breaking ceremony.
As the sun shone down Andrew Carter, Leader of Leeds City Council got proceedings underway with the ceremonial shovel and both Andrew and Andy Carver, Executive Director of Arts Council England, Yorkshire, gave speeches celebrating the partnerships coming together to make one of the most important cultural developments for Leeds a reality. Dancers David Ward and Rym Kechacha dressed in costumes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream enjoyed clambouring all over the JCB digger – I think everyone wanted to have a go at driving it but common sense prevailed. Mark Skipper spoke on behalf of everyone at NBT when he thanked all our partners and supporters who have given so generously to make our dream a reality. It does mean so much to us. You can add your support by donating through www.building-momentum.co.uk
Here’re some photos from the event taken by Lisa Stonehouse…
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- David & Rym complete their audition for “Diggers – The Musical”
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- Dancers, members of staff and the Board of Directors from NBT reflect on all the hard work that has taken place to get to this point
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- Andy Carver adds his thoughts to the proceedings
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- Supporters of the project gather on site for the ground breaking ceremony
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- NBT Friends and Patrons join us for the ceremony. We really value their support.
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- (Back) Rym Kechacha & David Ward; (Front, left to right) Chris Bailey – Leeds Met, Cllr Bernard Atha – NBT, Mark Skipper – NBT, Andrew Carter – Leeds City Council, Andy Carver – Arts Council England, Yorkshire, Ana Lujan Sanchez – Phoenix, Richard Wilson – Phoenix, Nigel Hall – Jacobs Architecture, Phil Harrison – Wates Construction
Latest Podcast
Listen to the lastest Northern Ballet Theatre podcast in which we talk to dancers and NBT staff about the prospect and benefits of having a new building in the heart of Leeds.
Right-Click [Apple users, click & hold] and select Save As… to download to your computer.
Warming Up On New Building
Sharon Watson, NBT's Dairector of Learning & Access leading a team from Wates Construction in a dance session.
Daragh Corcoran from BBC Radio Leeds interviewing NBT's Chief Executive, Mark Skipper.
To kick off the start of work on site of Northern Ballet Theatre’s new building with Phoenix Dance Theatre, NBT’s Director of Learning & Access Sharon Watson led a dance session for the team from Wates Construction. The whole thing was broadcast live on BBC Radio Leeds and as Sharon got the builders ready for their day on site, Radio Leeds’ Daragh Corcoran interviewed NBT’s Chief Executive Mark Skipper and Phil Harrison from Wates Construction.
You can listen again by clicking here, the interviews took place just after 8am.
For further information on the new building or to make a donation visit building-momentum.
Sharon Watson, NBT's Director of Learning & Access, leading the Wates Contruction Team in a dance session.
Breaking Ground on New Project
Artists Impression of New Building
We’re delighted to be able to share some exciting news about our new building project. The ground breaking ceremony to mark work starting on site takes place this afternoon with representatives from NBT and Phoenix Dance Theatre joined by Andrew Carter, the leader of Leeds City Council, Andy Carver, Executive Director of Arts Council England, Yorkshire, as well as partners from Leeds Metropolitan University, architects the Strategic Design Alliance and Wates Construction. Dancers dressed as fairies from A Midsummer Night’s Dream will also attend the ceremony. Photographs from the ground breaking ceremony will be on-line tomorrow.
We’re having a double celebration today because the momentum capital fundraising campaign has broken the £1million mark. We are now working hard to raise the remaining £500,000 of the £1.5million target. Help us reach our goal by donating on-line at building momentum
New momentum galleries
There are new galleries in the events section of the momentum site
The page now features photographs of all previous momentum events plus details of future ones…
New building for dance given green light by planners
Planners at Leeds City Council have given the green light to plans for a new centre of excellence for dance in Leeds. The new building will be home to Northern Ballet Theatre (NBT) and Phoenix Dance Theatre (Phoenix) and will be built on Quarry Hill next to the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Yorkshire Dance, the BBC and the Leeds College of Music. The designs by the Strategic Design Alliance, a partnership of Jacobs Architecture and Leeds City Council’s in-house architectural consultancy, were passed at a planning meeting earlier today.
The ambitious plans are for a six-storey building consisting of seven dance studios including a 200-seat studio theatre, office space, a health suite and a costume workshop. Alongside the two professional companies the building will eventually house a full-time classical dance school as well as Leeds Metropolitan University’s dance degree courses. The building will open in summer 2010.
In February NBT and Phoenix launched momentum, the campaign to raise the remaining £1.5million of the £12million building. To date the campaign has raised more than £800,000 from a number of trusts, foundations and individual donors. Mark Skipper, NBT’s Chief Executive is spearheading the momentum campaign: “The planning decision means that we have reached a key milestone in this project’s progress. With building work due to start on site in four months time we are now looking for a number of businesses and individual donors to step forward and help us meet our fundraising target and achieve our ambitions.” Anyone wishing to support the momentum campaign should visit www.building-momentum.co.uk or contact Melanie Aram at NBT at melanie.aram@northernballettheatre.co.uk
The new building has received wide support from across the region with Leeds City Council investing £6.7million, including a contribution from Yorkshire Forward, and Arts Council England, Yorkshire investing £3.5million through the National Lottery.
Andy Carver, Executive Director of Arts Council England, Yorkshire said: “It’s great news that this exciting project has reached such a significant milestone. Two of the country’s leading dance companies will have a state-of-the-art new home in Leeds, bringing great dance to many more people in Yorkshire and beyond.”
Gaining momentum
Over 100 guests including the Lord Mayor of Leeds Cllr Frank Robinson enjoyed an evening with Northern Ballet Theatre at the West Yorkshire Playhouse at an event to support our momentum campaign. Our guests attended a pre-performance reception where we had the opportunity to tell them all about the project and give the first showing of our new animated film of the building.
NBT’s Artistic Director David Nixon, Chief Executive Mark Skipper and NBT Board member, Denise Jagger spoke about the importance of the new building to the Company, asking individuals and the business community to support a bright future for dance and give to the campaign.
Our guests then enjoyed a performance of A Tale of Two Cities, NBT’s new full-length ballet based on Dickens’ classic novel, created by guest choreographer and ex-Associate Artist of the Royal Opera House, Cathy Marston.
During the interval NBT’s Classical Training students gave short demonstrations of their work which will be greatly enhanced by our purpose-built facilties. It is our aim to eventually run a full-time classical dance school from the new building giving talented young people from across Yorkshire the opportunity to pursue their dancing ambitions without having to leave home.
“The changes and developments taking place in Leeds are breathtaking and the physical investment in the cultural life of the city, for example at the Grand Theatre and Leeds Museum, is clear to see. Our new building for dance is a part of that and as such it will be a source of pride, a symbol of a brave and confident city whose people and business leaders make great things happen and dreams come true.” Mark Skipper, NBT Chief Executive
Help us make that dream a reality, give now to momentum.
New momentum videos
There are two new videos from the architects on the momentum website, for a sneaky preview of what the new studios, performance spaces and other facilities will look like.
Watch the videos and find out how you can help us jump the last hurdle…
Public art for our new dance centre
The search is on for an artist to create an artwork especially for our new building.
An exciting part of the plans for NBT’s capital project is the commissioning of a piece or pieces of Public Art to be incorporated within the building. The commission forms part of Leeds City Councils ambitious Public Art plans and, along with the exhibition space, extends even further what the new building will have to offer the communities of Leeds and the north of England.
There is a broad brief for the Public Art commission, it could be anything and use any medium, other than water. There are three potential locations identified by the design team for the public art: the entrance area, the glazing to the south façade, and the projecting balconies to the south façade.
Leeds City Council has started the procurement process and an artist should be appointed in October. For artists wishing to enter the procurement process the deadline for expressions of interest is 5pm on Monday 11 August, visit:
http://scms.alito.co.uk to sign up.
Enquiries about the tender website/process to Julie Brennen, Procurement Unit, email julie.brennen@leeds.gov.uk tel: 0113 24 74088
For more information on the planned building, and to find out how to help us realise it visit
Next step in giant leap of faith
Read an article about our new building from the Yorkshire Post magazine, published on Saturday 7 June …
Development in our campaign for a new building
Our campaign for a new building in central Leeds with Phoenix Dance Theatre took an important step forward last week when Leeds City Council announced that it will be working with Wates Construction as the preferred participating contractor.
As the project moves through the design process, Wates will work with the architects to develop the design proposals, solve any potential logistical problems and cost the building construction.
Our fundraising campaign, momentum, the campaign to raise the final £1.5 million required to complete the £12million project, continues to gather pace. For further information and to make your donation visit www.building-momentum.co.uk
More Momentum Launch Images
More photographs of the Momentum Launch event last month can now be found on the new Momentum website.
The events gallery can be found here: http://www.building-momentum.co.uk/events.aspx
Momentum Launch
Northern Ballet Theatre and Phoenix Dance Theatre revealed a stunning new vision for a centre of excellence for dance in Leeds last night at the launch of momentum, the campaign to raise the remaining funds required for the new buidling. HRH The Earl of Wessex attended the launch where new designs by the Strategic Design Alliance, a partnership of Jacobs and Leeds City Council’s in-house architects, were unveiled. In addition, Leeds Metropolitan University announced that it is investing in the new dance centre in an exciting partnership with NBT and Phoenix.
Read the full press release.
A new fundraising website was also launched yesterday to help raise funds for the momentum project.
Click here to visit the new site
Photographs of the launch:
Building Project gains ‘Momentum’
NBT’s new building project gains ‘Momentum’
Good progress is being made on the development of our new home on Quarry Hill in central Leeds with Phoenix Dance Theatre. The internal layouts for the building are taking shape and our Architects, Jacobs, are currently working on the external look of the building. Early discussions with Leeds City Council Planning department have been positive and an informal presentation of the design and layout is scheduled to take place on 30 January with the Chief Planning Officer to gauge further support.
The formal OJEU Notice (basically an advertisement asking for expressions of interest to become the building Contractor) has been posted with a deadline of 13 February for expressions of interest.
At this stage we are reasonably happy that the design is within budget but our Quantity Surveyor will carry out a cost check in mid-February just to be sure.
Building work is currently scheduled to start on site in February 2009 for completion in May 2010.
The building is costing £12million and the good news is that we’ve raised £10.5million of that. We still need to raise £1.5million by the end of 2009 and to make sure we do that we are launching Momentum, our capital fundraising campaign. The fundraising launch will take place on 21 February at an event which will be attended by NBT’s Royal Patron – HRH The Earl of Wessex KG, KCVO. There will be many ways in which our supporters can contribute to the campaign including naming rights to the building, naming of the studio theatre, rehearsal studios or even seats within the theatre.
Watch this space for further updates about the new building and Momentum.
