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3. Exciting Future for Barbican Centre as £191 Million Renewal Approved

Monday 27 January 2025

The Barbican Centre was opened by HM The Queen in 1982, who declared it ‘one of the wonders of the modern world’. Future works will safeguard its future as a leading arts venue by making it fit for the 21st century, with improvements to accessibility and energy efficiency.

The City of London Corporation has today approved a £191 million funding package to support critical repairs and upgrades at the iconic Barbican Centre. The package will fund phase one of the Barbican Renewal Programme, a five-year project of works to secure the future of this internationally renowned, grade-II listed arts conference and events centre.

The Barbican Centre was opened by HM The Queen in 1982, who declared it ‘one of the wonders of the modern world’. Future works will safeguard its future as a leading arts venue by making it fit for the 21st century, with improvements to accessibility and energy efficiency.

A major fundraising campaign will be launched by the Barbican Centre to enable the complete restoration and refurbishment of key public spaces at the venue. This includes upgrades to its unique brutalist foyers, lakeside terrace, and conservatory – the largest glasshouse in central London.

The project will sensitively preserve the complex, respecting its Grade II listed status, and the original architectural vision of the arts and conference centre, which is now more than 40 years old.

The Barbican Renewal Programme design process – led by Allies and Morrison, Asif Khan Studio, and Buro Happold – has already involved significant public consultation, with feedback and ideas being sought from the public and stakeholders, and a new, more detailed phase of consultation will begin early next year.

Subject to planning permission, construction will begin in 2027 with this first phase complete in time for the Barbican’s 50th anniversary in 2032.

About Barbican Business Events

The Barbican is one of the world’s leading conference and international arts venues. Located in the City of London, it is capable of holding meetings from 10-2,000 delegates in its fully equipped concert hall, theatres, conference suites and boardrooms. Barbican Business Events brings together the venue’s expertise in the arts and corporate meetings.

The Barbican’s Business Events team contributes to the venue’s future success. To make the most of the Barbican’s rich culture and heritage, Barbican Business Events was created to bring together their expertise in three very different areas – the arts, creative learning and corporate business. This approach to corporate events is based on stronger, more in-depth partnerships with their artistic, creative learning and development teams in order to bring more creativity and rich content to events.