Norwich Arts Centre facts for kids
The Arts Centre in 2010
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| Former names | The Church of St Swithin |
|---|---|
| Address | St Benedict’s Street Norwich NR2 4PG |
| Location | Norwich |
| Coordinates | 52°37′54″N 1°17′16″E / 52.63161°N 1.28776°E |
| Capacity | 300 standing 120 seated |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1349 |
| Opened | 1977 |
The Norwich Arts Centre is a cool place in Norwich, England. It's a spot where you can enjoy live music, watch plays, and see amazing art. This centre is located on St Benedict's Street. It can hold up to 300 people for standing concerts and 120 people for shows where you sit down. In 2014, a famous music magazine called NME said it was "Britain's Best Small Venue."
Contents
History of the Arts Centre
How it Started
Back in 1976, a group of people in Norwich had a great idea. They wanted to create a new place for art and performances. With help from the Norwich City Council, their dream came true. The venue opened in 1977 in an old carpet factory on St Benedicts Street. They called it "Premises."
Moving to a New Home
In 1980, the Arts Centre moved to its current location. This new home was an old church called St Swithin's Church. It has been there ever since! Today, the centre works as a charity, which means it's run to help the community.
Famous Performers at the Centre
Even though it's a small venue, the Norwich Arts Centre has hosted many big names. Lots of famous bands and comedians have performed here.
Some of the bands include:
- Nirvana
- Oasis
- Muse
- The Stone Roses
- Manic Street Preachers
- The Libertines
- Coldplay
- Enter Shikari
- Biffy Clyro
- Foals
- Kasabian
- Mumford & Sons
- Bombay Bicycle Club
Many well-known comedians have also made people laugh at the centre:
- Jack Dee
- Mark Lamarr
- Sue Perkins
- Mark Thomas
- Noel Fielding
- David Baddiel
- Ross Noble
- Frank Skinner
- Josie Long
The Story of St Swithin's Church
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An Old Church Building
The building that now holds the Norwich Arts Centre is a very old church. It is named after Saint Swithun. The church was built way back in 1349. It's possible that an even older church from the Anglo-Saxon times was on this spot before.
Changes Over the Years
The area around the church was once very rich. There were four medieval churches close to each other. But by the 1800s, it had become a poor area. St Swithin's Church was closed in 1881 because it was no longer needed. In 1882, the church's tower was taken down because it wasn't safe. A smaller bell-cot was put in its place later.
The building was used as a church again for a short time between 1883 and 1891. After that, it started to fall apart.
A New Purpose for the Church
In 1905, a clergyman named John Sawbridge raised money to reopen the church. He wanted it to serve the poor people living nearby. Enough money was collected to build a large room next to the church in 1908. This room was used as a mission and school. During World War II, this building was even the main office for the local Home Guard.
By 1951, the church was empty again because fewer people lived in the area. In 1954, it was recognized as a Grade I Listed building, which means it's a very important historic building. Before the Arts Centre took it over in 1980, it was used as a furniture warehouse.
The Church Becomes an Arts Centre
When the Arts Centre moved in, the church building became the main performance hall. The old schoolroom next door was turned into an art exhibition space and a cafe.
Not much of the original church interior is left. When it was changed into an auditorium in the early 1980s, many of its church features were removed. Even some old medieval choir-stalls that a famous historian, Nikolaus Pevsner, had written about are no longer there.
However, ten old monuments still remain. The oldest ones are for Sibilla Skottowe (who died in 1657) and Anne Skottowe (who died in 1662). There's also a monument for William Abbott (1754-1818). He was a soldier who fought in the American War of Independence at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
See also
- The Waterfront, Norwich
- Norwich Cinema City
- Norwich Playhouse
