New gallery extension recognised by local building awards

The New Galleries Wing at Attenborough Arts Centre, the University of Leicester’s arts centre, has been announced as the winner of the 2015 Leicester Civic Society New Build Award.

The extension, opened by Sir David Attenborough last month, increases the size of the existing building by 50%, and provides three new interlinked gallery spaces together with an external sculpture garden. Built by GSS Architecture  the gallery is the largest contemporary art space in Leicestershire and one of the largest in the East Midlands.

The awards will be presented at a ceremony on Friday April 15 at the City Rooms, Leicester.

Michaela Butter MBE, Director at Attenborough Arts Centre said “We are overwhelmed to receive the 2015 Leicester Civic Society New Build Award for our new galleries wing. This award recognises the quality of the design of our new contemporary art gallery, which   will deliver 3 major exhibitions each year showcasing a stimulating visual arts programme. We hope to inspire new audiences, including families with our programme of free exhibitions, art-related talks, events and workshops.”

The plaudits don’t stop there as the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors has also announced that the Attenborough Arts Centre has been nominated in their regional awards. The centre is competing against seven other buildings in the Community Benefit category, the winners of which will be announced on 21 April at Kelham Hall, Newark.

The new gallery was realised through support from Arts Council England and the Breaking Barriers appeal, a fundraising campaign which raised nearly one million pounds from over one thousand donors. Supporters included University alumni and parents as well as local philanthropists who understood the importance of Lord Attenborough’s vision to create a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone to engage with the arts.