We are delighted to announce an award of £800,000 from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF) towards the creation of a vibrant new music education centre and concert venue in Embassy Gardens, Nine Elms.
One of just six grants awarded in London, the funding through a bid by Wandsworth Council is an endorsement of the project, which is situated in an area of major regeneration.
The news comes as World Heart Beat starts work on the main construction of their new premises which is situated next to the US Embassy and near the new Nine Elms Tube station.
The new space will benefit thousands of young people, many from disadvantaged backgrounds across the borough of Wandsworth and beyond.
The new Embassy Gardens music centre will be a centre for musical excellence, providing thousands more students with music education whilst doubling teaching capacity each year.
FINAL PHASE OF FUNDRAISING
The total project cost is £3.2m, and to date £2.6m has been raised to include the LUF award.
To reach their target, World Heart Beat has now launched the final phase of its fundraising campaign, to raise the last £600,000 to enable them to fully realise their vision.
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The new venue will allow World Heart Beat to continue with their community-informed approach to engage young people and residents in the Nine Elms area including those living in the adjacent communities on the Patmore, Savona, Carey Gardens, Doddington and Rollo estates.
STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY
Funds will also help provide top quality recording studios and kit, enabling the charity to record students first EPs and together with their industry partners, teach a breadth of music industry skills such as sound engineering.
The new centre will also be the first public concert hall to open in London since 2008, equipped with state-of-the-art technology / digital infrastructure. The high-quality acoustics and performance space will provide a platform for an array of artists, from students to young people at the very start of their careers, and ‘household names’ performing everything from western classical to Indian music, jazz, and more.
Main construction on the site will begin today, Monday 8 November by ITC with a view to being completed in May, ready for launch in Autumn 2022.
A Wandsworth Council spokesperson said: “Securing £800,000 of the Levelling Up Fund is a huge milestone for Wandsworth Council and World Heart Beat. As ‘cultural anchor’ partners, this money will go towards cementing a musical base into the very fabric of Nine Elms, a place that is fast becoming a destination for arts and cultural organisations. We look forward to continuing the fantastic work that World Heart Beat are already doing in the Nine Elms community to reach new audiences and bring music to our vibrant neighbourhood.”