Riverfront Arts Centre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre |
|
|---|---|
|
Canolfan Theatr a Chelfyddydau Glan-yr-Afon
|
|
Photographed from the east side of the River Usk
|
|
| General information | |
| Type | Arts centre |
| Architectural style | Deconstructivism |
| Location | Newport city centre |
| Address | Kingsway, NP20 1HG |
| Town or city | Newport |
| Country | Wales |
| Coordinates | 51°35′18″N 2°59′36″W / 51.58832°N 2.99343°W |
| Opened | 22 October 2004 |
| Cost | £15,000,000 |
| Management | Newport Live |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 4 |
| Design and construction | |
| Main contractor | Richard Jones |
| Awards and prizes | Welsh Building of the Year, 2005 Welsh Building of the Year, 2006 |
The Riverfront, also known as Welsh: Glan yr Afon in Welsh, is a fantastic theatre and arts center in Newport. It's the main place for shows and creative activities in the city. You can find it right by the River Usk in the city center. This amazing building was designed by a company called Austin-Smith:Lord and first opened its doors on October 23, 2004.
Building the Riverfront
People started talking about building a new theatre way back in 1995. There were some delays because of changes in how local money was managed.
Planning and Costs
Finally, plans for this new arts center were made around 2002. This was when Newport was also trying to become a city. The project was estimated to cost about £15 million. The Arts Council of Wales and the National Assembly for Wales helped pay for it.
Construction Begins
Building work started in May 2002. It took two years to finish. There was a small delay when workers found a really old medieval ship! This ship was about 500 years old.
Grand Opening
The Riverfront officially opened on October 23, 2004. The first big event was a concert. It featured the famous singer Katharine Jenkins and the amazing Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Unique Design
The building's design is very modern and unique. Some people loved it, and it even won the Welsh Building of the Year award two years in a row (2005 and 2006). However, some local people weren't so sure about its look. In 2004, it even came in second place in a public vote for Wales's "most ugly building"!
Growing Popularity
By its 10th birthday in 2014, The Riverfront was super popular. It was welcoming about 90,000 visitors each year! This was twice as many as they expected when they first built it. At that time, it hosted around 180 performances, 550 workshops, and 110 film screenings every year.
Recent Updates
In 2020, the theatre received special funding. This helped it manage during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also allowed them to upgrade their ticketing systems, making it easier for people to buy tickets.
What You Can Do at The Riverfront
The Riverfront has lots of different spaces for fun and learning.
Main Theatre and Studio
- The main theatre can hold 482 people. Here, you can watch all sorts of shows. These include comedy, opera, dance, music, and drama.
- The Studio is a smaller space, seating 128 people. It often shows more unique performances and films.
Workshops and Classes
- There are three workshop spaces. These are used for many art classes. You can try things like ceramics (making things from clay) and life drawing.
- The Dance Studio hosts different dance and theatre classes. You can learn salsa, breakdancing, and even circus skills! There are also youth theatre groups.
- The Recording Studio is used for music workshops. You can learn about rock & pop music or how to be a DJ.
Special Events
The Riverfront also hosts special events. It has welcomed BBC One's Question Time and even had filming for the TV show Dr. Who. Sometimes, BBC Radio shows broadcast live from here too.
Christmas Pantomimes
Every year since it opened, The Riverfront puts on traditional pantomimes. These are fun, family-friendly shows during Christmas and New Year. Famous performers like Mark James from Britain's Got Talent have starred in them.
Big Splash Festival
In the 2010s, The Riverfront became the home of the annual Big Splash festival. This outdoor festival attracts about 20,000 visitors!
Art Gallery
The Riverfront has a small art gallery. It shows off art from local artists. You can see free exhibitions of photography, painting, and sculpture. The Basement Gallery also hosts exhibitions, like the "Ghosts in Armour" show in 2008.
Food and Drinks
If you get hungry or thirsty, The Riverfront has a café and bar. It's on the ground floor and looks out over the River Usk. There's also an outdoor terrace where you can sit by the river.
The Newport Ship
The Riverfront has been suggested as a possible home for the Newport Ship. This is a very old 15th-century ship. It was found buried in the mud of the River Usk.
Discovery of the Ship
The remains of the ship were found by accident! Workers were digging for the theatre's orchestra pit when they discovered it. The ship is about 25 meters long and dates back to 1465. Finding it was a huge deal, like finding the famous Mary Rose ship.
Building a Home for the Ship
During the six months they spent digging up the ship, a special new space was designed. It was built underground, beneath the foyer. This space was made to hold and display the ship and other discoveries. It would show how the ship was found, its history, and eventually the fully restored ship itself. This new area had to fit perfectly into the existing building.
Future Plans
Right now, the ship is being stored somewhere else. A final decision hasn't been made yet about where it will be permanently displayed for the public to see.
Images for kids
-
Café seating from above
-
Centre entrance
-
Viewed from the east
