The Lowry arts centre is looking to secure £10m in order to undertake “critical” upgrades to prevent closure, according to a city council report.
The Salford waterfront theatre and gallery has been invited to bid for £8.5m from Arts Council England’s Creative Foundations Fund, but only on the condition a partner is found to supply the additional £1.5m.
Salford City Council is set to decide whether it will provide the outstanding cash at a meeting on Tuesday.
The council report said money would be spent on “urgent infrastructure needs” and would safeguard the future of the arts complex, which marks its 25th birthday this year. The Lowry and the city council has been contacted by the .
The Safeguard the Future of the Lowry project aims to raise £10m capital to ensure that the Salford Quays’ venue “can continue to operate, be more sustainable and meet the needs of all its communities”, the report said.
The government’s Creative Foundations Fund is open to applications from cultural organisations across England, but it stipulates that any bid for a grant of more than £1m must be supported by a minimum of 15% partnership funding.
Pending formal approval next week, Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett has agreed to provide the additional funding – both enabling The Lowry’s formal grant application and improving its chances of success.
Uppermost among the upgrades required to the Lowry’s internal infrastructure are replacing two obsolete escalators with lifts to improve the building’s accessibility, changing the boilers and chillers to reduce carbon emissions, and updating the venue’s fire and alarm systems.
The 2024 council report Making Culture Count estimated The Lowry generated £86.6m in visitor spending every year.
But the building, now 25 years old, requires substantial investment to continue operating, according to the city council.
The Lowry’s mission statement centres on “supporting local communities, nurturing talent and creating a programme as diverse and open-minded as our city itself”.
It has become Salford’s definitive cultural insitution, supporting art initiatives across the region.
As part of this year’s 25th anniversary celebrations, the venue held an immersive exhibition featuring a 360-degree display of L. S. Lowry’s celebrated 1953 artwork Going to the Match.
