Jacksons Lane Starts Redevelopment Programme For Performance, Participatory Arts And Contemporary Circus!

Jacksons Lane begins a new chapter as works start on the capital redevelopment programme that will transform the building into a state-of-the-art centre for performance, participatory arts and contemporary circus

Since September, over 100 artists have been rehearsing, creating and filming work around Jacksons Lane, with space provided free of charge

On the final day before construction work begins, Jacksons Lane welcomes its artists of tomorrow, the Youth Board aged 12 to 19 for a day of creation

In early 2020 Jacksons Lane secured the funding needed to begin its ambitious capital redevelopment project and transform the building into a state-of-the-art centre for contemporary circus, community engagement and events. 9 November marks the final day before that work begins.

Jacksons Lane has received £2.1 million from ACE’s Large Capital Grants scheme, funded by the National Lottery, and £1.25 million from Haringey Council, to complete the project.

For the past 2 months the building has welcomed circus artists to rehearse and create new work offering complimentary resources to support artists during the pandemic. The building has been alive with creativity and energy in the run up to the next stage of its development.

During these months, Jacksons Lane donated over 1,200 of in-kind time and development space. As a result, more than 36 brand new contemporary works have emerged.

On Monday 9 November, to mark the time before building work commences, Jacksons Lane Youth Board, the artists of the future, will take over the centre for a day of creation and celebration.

Adrian Berry, Artistic Director and joint CEO said “It has been a thrilling and fitting way to spend the last couple of months, with a building full of world-beating circus artists creating new work, despite the world being in chaos. I am grateful to the ACE Emergency fund for helping us provide this opportunity to these artists. It was the perfect end to the building’s most recent chapter, before it embarks on the next part of its exciting journey to become the UK’s best equipped and world-renowned centre for contemporary circus. We look forward to welcoming the artists and the public back into the building in September next year.”

The building will reopen in September 2021 following a ten-month redevelopment.

During closure, Jacksons Lane will continue to be active in the community off site and its fundraising efforts also continue in order to equip and fit out the newly redeveloped building to meet its future needs.

Executive Director and joint CEO Monique Deletant said ‘Whilst we are truly grateful for all the funding we have managed to secure to date, we acknowledge that these are (to put it mildly) challenging times for our industry and that we are incredibly lucky to be in this position at this time. We’re closing temporarily, and for positive reasons. However we hope that good news is also welcome right now, and we will have funds to raise to complete our vision. We look forward to keeping in touch and continuing to help artists, audiences and the community throughout this period and to welcoming everyone back through our doors when the work is done.’

Working with renowned Architects Citizens Design Bureau, the redevelopment aims to push the boundaries of artistic excellence with spaces that are inspiring and beautiful, practical and accessible. The new Jacksons Lane will be environmentally sustainable will nurture curiosity in the Arts by future proofing the spaces and operational systems for the next generation and welcome even more people through its doors to participate, experience, learn, work and socialise. The vision is to be welcoming, inspiring and accessible to everyone, more visible and inviting, and more reflective of its personality and ambition. A combination of urgent repairs and internal decluttering will ensure the building’s heritage is valued and protected.                                              

For details of the redevelopment programme, click here.

About Jacksons Lane
Jacksons Lane is the flagship arts and cultural venue in Haringey, creating a year-round programme that encompasses the best in contemporary performance, arts participation, cultural education and outreach work for both its community and the sector as a whole.

We are committed to leading the way in the creation, production, presentation and artist/audience development of contemporary circus theatre.

Jacksons Lane exists to empower, and ignite creativity within, diverse communities and works tirelessly to overcome traditional barriers – including age, socioeconomic background and geography – to achieve full engagement with the arts for everyone.

Since 1975, we have been a key cultural and social hub for north London, and we currently work with over 3,800 people every week.

We are a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England; a key strategic partner for the delivery of Haringey Council's plans to make Haringey a great place to live and work; and in receipt of multi-year grants from both Big Lottery Reaching Communities and BBC Children in Need to support the large-scale participation and education work we do with diverse communities across London.

About Citizens Design Bureau
Citizens Design Bureau was established as a co-operative company of architects. We enjoy working with interesting people to make unusual things happen, developing rigorously practical solutions that are woven with ingenuity and make people smile.

Our aim is to make good design accessible, humane and sensitively sustainable so in addition to a traditional architectural design service, we offer one-off 'back of the envelope' idea surgeries, collaborative design sessions, organisational and brief development workshops.

Our work covers a range of scales from public buildings to products and digital interfaces. Current work includes: Refurbishment and extension of the Manchester Jewish Museum (due for completion in Spring 2020); New dance and music recording studios for East London Dance and Urban Development Music in Stratford (due for completion in Winter 2019); refurbishment and remodelling of Jacksons Lane Arts Centre (due for completion 2021); concept, business plan and feasibility modelling for new Library and housing CLT in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for the LLDC; renovation and remodelling of St. Peter in the Forest Church; and Village Design Statements for Cambridgeshire villages.

Recently completed work includes: furniture, finishes, signage for the Stirling Prize winning Everyman theatre in Liverpool (with Haworth Tompkins Architects), Royal Court Theatre bar and Kitchen (with Lyndon Goode Architects), and numerous private dwellings.

Citizens Design Bureau director, Katy Marks, was previously Project Architect of the National Theatre Studio refurbishment, Young Vic Theatre, Everyman Theatre whilst at Haworth Tompkins Architects.

Collectively we also have a multi-disciplinary range of experience in teaching and research and have qualified Passivhaus designer status.