Jersey Arts Centre could move to new location in next 10 years

Monday 20 January 2025

Government arts funding could next be used to refurbish or relocate the Jersey Arts Centre following the completion of the £12m refurbishment of the Opera House, according to the Economic Development Minister.

Deputy Kirsten Morel said that the ageing building "needs some work", adding that decisions will have to be made within the next decade about whether to renovate the existing arts site or create a new premises.

The Jersey Arts Centre, which shows theatre, music, films and other events in its main theatre, also hosts two art galleries and holds events off-site.

Pictured: Deputy Kirsten Morel showing off the newly-refurbished Jersey Opera House, which is due to open during the course of the year

With the Jersey Opera House refurbishment for the main part finished, Deputy Morel said that attention would be given to other arts venues to expand the range of creative offerings in the island.

"The Arts Centre building, we believe needs some work as well so that's going to be something we have to turn our eyes to," he said.

"We have provided them with extra money to help with maintenance and also to undertake a feasibility study into what can be done, but we do have to turn our mind to the Arts Centre."

Pictured: Jersey Arts Centre on Phillips Street, where it enjoys traffic from the newly-built Ann Court development (Rob Currie)

The Minister continued: "Over the course of the next 10 years, we'll have to make decisions about whether the Arts Centre stays where it is, whether they could move, possibly to new premises on the Waterfront, or things like this.

"All these questions are open, we've not discussed them with the Arts Centre yet. That's really important.

"But I think the building there is of an age that we need to ask questions: do we refurbish that building or does the Arts Centre move somewhere else? I think that's the sort of question we will need to ask over the coming decade."

This is not the first time the Waterfront was suggested for an arts venue.

In 2020, the Jersey Development Company proposed a full Waterfront revamp, complete with gardens, a National Gallery for the island, an underground public car park, a gym, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and over 1,000 residential units.

Pictured: In 2020, architecture firm Socrates Architects drew up ideas on what a Waterfront arts building could look like.

Deputy Morel added that it is "good to have different venues" across the island.

He added: "Obviously, with the closure of the Opera House, we have seen how we didn't have a kind of 650-seat venue anywhere in Jersey except the RJHS [Showground in Trinity], and they did an amazing job at adapting themselves to take some big performances.

"But having a more intimate theatre like the Arts Centre is really important as well. It's different types of shows.

"Having that variety for islanders is really important."

Pictured: The Jersey Arts Centre received a £700,000 grant from the Department for Economic Development last year.

In 2023, the Jersey Arts Centre received a £700,000 grant from the Department for Economic Development, which made up the majority of its total £1,136,410 income.

In the previous year, the grant was £640,000 for a total income of £927,811.

And in 2021, the grant was £602,000 for a £802,756 total income that year.