Last year, Arts Council England told the English National Opera that it had to move its headquarters out of London by 2029 if it wanted to keep on receiving funding. It was a controversial move to say the least, with one arts commentator calling the decision ‘cultural vandalism’.
Then again, why should the capital have all the fun, eh? Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool and Nottingham were all in the running, but in the end it’s Manchester that has been chosen as ENO’s new home.
The organisation said that its new base will be fully established by 2029. In the meantime, it will start staging productions across Greater Manchester and will continue to have a ‘substantial’ annual season at London’s Coliseum (which it owns) now and after the move.
ENO said: ‘The potential opportunities to collaborate with the region’s vibrant arts ecology, and the chance to inspire and create work with and for new audiences and communities in Greater Manchester’.
Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham said: ‘Greater Manchester’s world-renowned history of radical art, activism, and affecting change, and the cultural renaissance taking place across our towns and cities, makes it the ideal home for the ENO. We can’t wait to welcome them and see where this new partnership takes us.’
Culture in Manchester
Manchester has been working hard lately to enrich its cultural offering. Here at Time Out we’ve been watching all its exciting developments very closely. This year it opened blockbuster arts venue Factory International and next year it’s set to reveal its innovative new music venue Co-op Live. There are also lots of wonderful spots that have been around for a bit longer, like these art galleries, these theatres and these museums.
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