BAC Capital Brochure 2012

3The past

1/8th of building image: Morley Von Sternberg

We will draw from the past tocreate the future. We willprovide access to the buildingand its stories to over 5,000young people every year andwork with 15 local schools tocreate theatre inspired by theTown Hall. For example, in 2012we will create and present TheGood Neighbour inspired by thelife and heroic deeds of GeorgeNeighbour who died in 1909 andwho is celebrated by a plaque inthe Town Hall. We will work withschool children, families andlocal businesses to create abuilding wide performance forover 6,000 people.

Duke & Duchess of York’s visit toBattersea Town Hall in 1928Photographer unknown

Victorian weathervane on BAC’s roofPhotographer unknown

The birth of Battersea up to 1893Before the land was purchased for the Town Hall, Elm House stood on the site on LavenderHill surrounded by fields. The final occupants of Elm House were the Nassau-Seniors:thinkers, social change-makers and excellent hosts. As Inspector of the Poor Houses,Jeannie Nassau-Senior was the first official female civil servant and inspiration for thefoster care system. The Town Hall, built on the site of Elm House to govern a mushroomingpopulation, was the civic heart of a new community. Inscribed in the Lower Hall isBattersea’s motto ‘not for you, not for me, but for us’, offering a recurring theme for the site,celebrating the power of congregation and collective endeavour.

Radical politics and civic pride 1893 – 1967Throughout its life as a functioning town hall, the building was a hub for radical politics,finding itself at the forefront of progressive thinking on feminism, racial equality, andsocialism. The Social Federation Party, the UK’s first organised socialist party, the UKCommunist Party, the Trade Union movement, the Independent Labour Party and thecampaign for Women’s Suffrage all had strong roots in the Town Hall through the 20thcentury. Battersea figures included Charlotte Despard, a prominent suffragist and novelist;John Burns, leader of the Dockers’ Strikes and the UK’s first working class Member ofParliament; and John Archer, London’s first black mayor.

Saving the Town Hall 1967 – 1980After the seat of local government moved to Wandsworth Town Hall, the building wasboarded up and quickly fell into disrepair. There were repeated attempts at demolition (oneplan included turning the site into an ‘ultra-modern’ swimming pool and car park), all ofwhich the building survived through a combination of local campaigning and widerarchitectural interest. Throughout this period, one thing remained clear: people careddeeply about the building, and in 1970 the building was listed. A council run arts centre wasfinally established and in 1980 Battersea Arts Centre was founded as an independent trust.

Radical artistic visions 1980 – present dayNow recognised as “Britain’s most influential theatre” by national press, BAC identifies andnurtures the most exciting theatre artists in the UK. Our roster of internationally-acclaimedshows includes Jerry Springer The Opera by Richard Thomas & Stewart Lee and TheMasque of the Red Death, a co-production with Punchdrunk. The radical democracy of theformer Town Hall lives on in BAC’s programme, with recent flagship events including theTransition Towns national conference, a sell-out production of George Orwell’s 1984, and Nic Green’s Trilogy exploring modern-day feminism. BAC has developed award-winningparticipatory arts activities for school children across Wandsworth and has pioneered the‘scratch’ process for making theatre, bringing together artists and audiences to test andrefine ideas through dialogue and collaboration. In 2007, threatened with closure byproposed cuts from Wandsworth Council, BAC galvanised an opposition campaign thatprompted debate during Prime Minister’s Questions. Supported by lobbying from localpeople BAC secured a 125 year lease commencing 2008 with a 20 year rent free period.

The history ofBattersea Town Hallprovides inspiration tothe capital project.This is both in termsof the purpose of theproject, drawing onthe social and civicvalues at the heart ofthe Town Hall’s historyto inform theobjectives of theproject, and in termsof sharing that historywith the public.

In August 2011 BAC Homegrownpresented Brave made by youngpeople from across Wandsworth in theweek of the Clapham Junction riots.Photo by James Allan

Headline areas for improvement

• BAC’s roofs are old and leaky, causing poor insulation, water damage to flooring andhealth and safety hazards.

• Inefficient heating systems and ageing infrastructure need to be upgraded to reduceenergy consumption and costs.

• Limited theatre production infrastructure across the building restricts our ability topresent building-wide productions.

• Poor quality uncomfortable seating results in a poor audience experience and often areduction in repeat bookings.

• Sub-standard spaces fail to maximise the full potential of our Events business andimprovements to heat, light and acoustics are essential.

• Insufficient and inferior toilet facilities are poorly located, reducing BAC’s licensedcapacity and levels of customer satisfaction.

• BAC’s basement and attic are inaccessible to wheelchair users and do not meet therequirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.

• Masonry, brickwork, intricate mosaic tiled flooring and original glasswork are in poor condition.

• The Hope-Jones Grand Hall organ needs a second phase of repair before it can be used again in public performances.

The building is nearly120 years old. Whilst itis structurally sound,the infrastructureneeds to bethoroughly updated.

4The future


Floor plans showing proposed uses Drawings by Haworth Tompkins

The goal of the project is to create a home that combines an innovative performance environment with a radicalenvironmental agenda. The proposals unlock the building, re-organising the internal spaces to open up performancepossibilities and create accessible circulation throughout withconvivial public areas. A careful balance between comfort andenergy reduction will guide the repairs and improvements to the Town Hall’s fabric and infrastructure.

PerformanceDeveloping innovative performance environments - the proposals include interlinked first floor rooms; plug and play points throughout the building; creating a performancespace in the courtyard; building-wide facilities for performers including dressing rooms and bedrooms.

HomeWelcoming public, artists and staff to a creative home - the proposals include improvementsto the Lavender Hill entrance; an active, visible presence on Town Hall Road, with a newentrance to the bar; opening up the bar to the foyer internally; improved toilet facilities forall users of the building; external repairs and fabric upgrades; and the further developmentof bedrooms and associated facilities for artists resident at BAC..

AccessibilityCreating a fully accessible building - the proposals include a central passenger and goodslift linking all five floors of the building across its sloping site, offering disabled access to thebasement and attic areas of the building and enabling the entire footprint to comply withthe Disability Discrimination Act.

ResilienceProviding appropriate infrastructure that enables sustainability to be writing on the stick ofrock running through our capital plans. The proposals include upgrading the servicesinfrastructure to significantly reduce energy consumption; a new hub for staff in the atticspaces; a fully accessible rooftop walkway around the courtyard; increasing and improvingstorage, tech and recycling spaces; and the reconfiguration of the Lower Hall as a hub foryoung companies working across the creative industries.

HeritageCelebrating the unique history of the building and its community – the proposals includerestoring large parts of the Town Hall to its former glory. The project seeks to celebrate theTown Hall and its history across the building and through a brand new digital archive thatwill reflect the evolving histories of the building and the people who continue to use it.

HLF Stage D Report June 20122


- New lift to Lower Hall level

- New landscaping to Town Hall Road

B HLF Stage D Report June 2012






B June 2012






B HLF Stage D Report June 2012


Ground FloorNew ramp, steps and lighting to main entrance

Digital archive viewing pods in foyer

Induction loop at box office

Restoration of mosaic floor

Restoration of historic streetlights

New landscaping to Town Hall Road

New ramp and steps to bar entrance

New double glazing to sash windows

Grand Hall LevelRestoration of organ apparatus


New lift to Lower Hall level


New ramp and steps to Grand Hallentrance

New parking space on Theatre Street

Lower Hall LevelRestoration of organ apparatus


Relocation of Lower Hall entrance tooriginal location

New facilities for Lower Hall users

New serviced office area

New lift to Lower Hall level


Mosaic floor

Grand Hall organ

Access worksExternal landscaping

Lower Hall works

floor plans showing proposed uses Drawings by Haworth Tompkins

Roof Level andExternal envelopeRepairs to external brick andstonework

Repairs to chimneys and turrets

Repairs to pitched roofs

New roof covering to flat roofs

Second FloorInsulation to roof spaces

New access flooring to Principalstair rooflight

New ventilation louvre to Principalstair rooflight

First FloorRestoration of mosaic floor

Restoration of Octagonal dome

Restoration of Grand Hall canopy

Restoration of Theatre Street lantern

Two new woodburning stoves

New double glazing to Grand Hallrooflights

New double glazing to sash windows

Octagonal dome

Fabric upgrades

Mosaic floor

5The process


Members’ Bar theatreinstallation November 2011Photo by Tref Davies

Working in partnershipwith Haworth Tompkinswe have taken thebuilding master plan to RIBA Stage D andauthored a ConservationManagement Plan.

Since 2008 we have raised and invested £1.75 million in to the building against our five objectives through a series of phased projects:

PerformanceOpened up the first floor promenade.Created flexible studio theatres across the first floor and tested them through seasons of theatre.

HomeCreated a dedicated creative space for families called The Bees Knees. Installed six artist bedrooms, artist kitchen and bathrooms. Created improved open planadministrative facilities.

AccessibilityOpened up thirty spaces for public use that were previously cluttered with storage oroffice space, or blocked by partitions or hazardous material. Provided industry standardoff-road access to the west wing and Grand Hall.

ResilienceTested wood burners in key locations. Boarded out roof voids in preparation forinsulating and infrastructure works. Reduced sound leakage from the Grand Hall withdouble glazing and improved thermal performance. Inspired by the Transition Networkbegun to explore sustainability right across our programme.

HeritageRestored the Council Chamber and the Grand Hall. Researched BAC’s archive anddeveloped a digital collection’s policy.

Grand HallPhoto by BAC

Playgrounding

The process we are using provides a positive framework for creativerisk-taking. We have collaboratedwith Haworth Tompkins and anumber of artists to develop thisprocess. It adopts the key principlesof how artists make work at BAC, in partnership with audiences, andtransposes these to an architecturalprocess. It is iterative, improvisatory,collaborative and creative placing thebuilding user – audiences, artists andstaff – at the heart of the designprocess. We call this processPlaygrounding and the Arts Councilis supporting this approach with £2.5 million through their RENEWscheme.

As shows and creative projects areconceived, we use them to betterunderstand how our building canwork for us and how best it shouldevolve for the community. Designideas are rooted in the creativity ofthe artists working at BAC. Somedesign ideas are subject to pilotprojects, testing them with a light-touch impermanence, to ensure theyare the right fit and will achieve bestvalue for money. Some phases aredelivered in-house, enabling us toachieve better value than if wepackaged them all together asbuilding contracts. We havedemonstrated that we can achieveconsiderable cost efficiencies usingthis process through the first phaseof works. We are also carrying out atraditional master plan process toensure that each phased projectsdelivers aspects of the overall visionand all pull in the same direction.

Town Hall Road entrancePhoto by Philip Vile

6The impact


Don John BarPhoto by Philip Vile

By 2015 we will have:

Improved the relationships between audiences and artists across BAC and the UK

• Three major national newspaper articles annually featuring BAC’s building, shows and ourcivic role, contributing towards a broadening of the public’s interpretation of what a“theatre” can be.

• Consistent first rate reviews and awards for BAC Productions as exemplars of inventivenew theatre.

• Three BAC productions touring nationally (including one by our young peoples’ company)and one internationally every year.

Increased the value of BAC’s social experience placing food, drink and congregation at the heart of the programme

• The turnover of the Café Bar has doubled from 2011/12.• The former Town Hall is a destination venue with national reviews for our food and drink.• Vegetables and other food served in our café/bar are grown on-site and locally.

Increased the profile of the organisation locally, nationally and internationally with a more widely understood philosophy & vision

• The organisation is regularly and consistently written about and discussed by leadingcommentators, politicians and artists.

• The organisation is championed by all sections of the Wandsworth community andcontributes substantially towards the civic life of the borough.

Created online resources and learning adventures throughoutour building

• Half a million people every year enjoy an experience of BAC and the building, either live orthrough our digital platforms and archives.

• Our productions regularly incorporate aspects of building history or heritage as part oftheir inspiration or the stories they tell.

Created a resilient model for theatre that is a paradigm ofexcellence in terms of the use and creation of resources

• Our energy use has been reduced by 40%.• Every aspect of our business has been considered as we encourage transition to a new

model for a 21st century theatre building and community resource.• Our public spaces are populated by local people reflecting the diverse make-up of

Londoners in age, ethnicity and socio-economic backgrounds.

We have set ourselvesmeasurable goals asan organisation thatwe want to reach by2015. These goals areshared across theorganisation and willbe delivered throughour capital project.Through BAC’sprocess and projectwe seek to integraterevenue and capitalstrands of activity.

BAC is inseparable from its community.The artists need the community and thecommunity needs the art. It's not justabout the economic impact or the accessto entertainment and recreation – both ofwhich are vitally important of course. It's about having a building where it ispossible to go in a spirit of uncertainty and leave feeling more optimistic about thehuman race.

Jude Kelly, Artistic Director, Southbank Centre,Founding Director of BAC

Design School Day OnePhoto by BAC

A Tea Dance in our Grand HallPhoto by Ed Collier

7The numbers


Nine reasons to support Battersea Arts Centre’scapital appeal

1 We have already had offers and pledges from Arts Council England and the HeritageLottery Fund meaning that for every £1 donated unlocks £5 of lottery funding.

2 You will be supporting innovation in theatre.

3 Our building plans will provide a safe place where young people from diversebackgrounds can hang out and express their creativity on equal terms, doubling the number of young people we work with every year from 2,500 to 5,000.

4 Our Playgrounding process has already seen the successful investment of £1.75 million demonstrating excellent value for money.

5 You will enable BAC to significantly reduce energy consumption, carbon productionand a reliance on resources beyond the local.

6 Your support will enable BAC to earn an additional £250k per year from improvedfacilities, enabling a more resilient business model.

7 Our plans will have a positive impact on local businesses and community groups.

8 Your support will help create community gardens where children and young people can actively engage in growing food for Battersea.

9 Our project will create a legacy of learning which will inform other capital development projects.

Brave by BAC HomegrownPhoto by James Allen

The total cost of the capital project is £13.2 million.Towards this goal to date we have:

• Raised £2.5 million through the Arts Council’s RENEW grant scheme

• Secured £1.7 million from statutory and private sources

•Completed a Stage 2 application to Heritage Lottery Fund for £2.5 million, with fundingdue to be confirmed this October

We plan to apply for a further £4.5 million of funding from the Arts Council through theirnew capital fund, which opened this Summer.

We have £2 million of funding still to secure, of which we expect £1.4 million to come fromtrusts and foundations and £600,000 from major donors and individuals.

Foyer staircasePhoto by BAC

Every £1 donatedunlocks £5 of lotteryfunding.

With Gift Aid and tax efficiencies yourgift can really stretch to enable us todeliver these plans.

8Support us


BAC is keen to encourage support across two tiers

The first tier seeks lead support for significant projects. We are looking for major donors tojoin us in realising:

• Artist bedroomsEnabling BAC to create a unique residency resource for theatre artists in London

• Start-up space for young companiesEnabling BAC to provide a creative hub for some of the UK’s most dynamic young artscompanies

• First floor performance environmentEnabling BAC to create the UK’s most exciting flexible performance environment

• Resilience Enabling BAC to champion local cultural enterprise, a reduction in energy consumptionand collaborative partnerships

• AccessibilityEnabling BAC to provide level access to all areas of the building and a more welcomingentrance and lobby

The second tier seeks support for more discrete aspects of finishing and furnishing.Suggested levels of support include:

• Dressing room mirror £60

• A comfy chair in the foyer £300

• Wood burning stove £1,500

For more details and to support our capital project please contact David and David [email protected] / 020 7326 8219 or Kane Moore, Capital Project Fundraiser on [email protected] / 020 7326 8235.

BAC’s 30th Birthday partyPhoto by James Allan

Every £1 donatedunlocks an additional£5 of lottery funding.Gifts of every size willcontribute to our plansto sustain BAC forgenerations to come.

Donors to the capital programme have included:

Significant revenue support fromthe Esmée Fairbairn Foundation,the Paul Hamlyn Foundation andBloomberg has been crucial inenabling us to develop ourbusiness model in order to takeon the enormous challenge of alarge scale capital developmentproject whilst remaining withinthe building.

The Red Shoes by Kneehigh Theatre ran for three weeks in our CouncilChamber and was a catalyst for majorimprovements for this much loved space.Photo by Steve Tanner

Arts Council EnglandBiffawardThe Big Lottery Fund on behalf of ...The Government Office for Civil SocietyThe City Bridge Trust English HeritageThe Eranda FoundationThe Follett TrustThe Foundation for Sport & the ArtsThe Foyle Foundation Elizabeth & Reade Griffith Heritage Lottery Fund

The Ian Mactaggart TrustThe Idlewild TrustJenny SheridanJohn D NicksonThe Mactaggart Third FundThe Pilgrim TrustNaomi Russell+ Partners The SITA TrustWandsworth Borough CouncilThe Wolfson FoundationThe Western Riverside Environmental Fund

BAC Capital Brochure 2012

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Transcript of BAC Capital Brochure 2012