Future Arts Centre Project to Reinvigorate Lincoln’s Cultural Offering

Following the new appointment of Ben Anderson as Creative Director, the Lincoln Performing Arts Centre (LPAC) is embarking on a bold project to reinvent itself according to public feedback; building a new vision on a principle of ambitious co-creation.

LPAC is the University of Lincoln’s public arts centre, connecting artists, academics, audiences, and communities. The Future Arts Centre project will investigate ways for the organisation to better serve these groups, instigating a full evaluation of its overarching purpose moving forward.

Creative Director, Ben Anderson said: “This is a new approach, one that’s rooted in co-creation. I’ve been inspired by the conversations we’ve been having so far. The process is really validating in this tricky post-covid world, as collectively we’re banishing cynicism and putting hope front and centre. I cannot wait to have the new vision in our hands next year, knowing that it’s packed with the opinions and views of a broad range of people.”

Situated at the heart of the University’s Brayford Pool campus, the arts centre is well placed to become a creative hub for the whole county and a home for new performances with a strong focus on contemporary practice in the performing and visual arts.

This inventive approach to co-designing a vision is indicative of the organisation’s commitment to working in partnership with other arts and non-arts partners to develop co-commissions, fuelling fresh work and strengthening long-term relationships.

In addition, the building hosts around 600 students from the School of Creative Arts including musicians, theatre makers, fine artists, technicians, and dancers at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, demonstrating its instrumental role in nurturing the next generation of artists.

Free in-person and online workshops are being hosted by the team to welcome anybody who wishes to shape the future of the arts centre to have their voice heard. Each session addresses a theme with the first three exploring Perception, Programme and People.

Attendants participate in activities designed to unlock out-of-the-box thinking in a fun, non-judgemental environment to inspire the new visions and missions of the centre. Ben hopes to establish a ‘critical friends’ group from participants to continue the evaluation process long-term.

To ensure that as many people as possible can contribute their views, a survey can also be completed by those unable to attend a workshop, while full accessibility requirements can be catered for at the events.

Dr Sherezade García Rangel, Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Lincoln, is working alongside Ben Anderson to co-design and conduct the consultation workshops with the purpose of embedding research at the centre of the project. One of the outcomes will be a research article investigating the unique process being carried out by the team at Lincoln which could act as an inspirational guide for arts centres across the country who may wish to emulate the process within their own localities.

The next workshop will be discussing Programme on Friday 4 November and anyone, regardless of their arts background or lack thereof, is encouraged to book their place and participate in the creation of Lincoln’s Future Arts Centre.

Find out more about the Future Arts Centre project and how you can get involved here.