TOP TEAM
The foyer (left) rises through three levels, while the colonnade (above) frames the theatre
I've been living and breathing it [the project] for over eight years, having been involved in everything from the earliest feasibility study to the gala opening
How did the plan to rebuild the Marlowe come about? Ten years ago we bid to be European Capital of Culture. We had high hopes and ambitions that went beyond what a city the size of Canterbury might normally aspire to, but we didn’t really expect to win. Our mantra was ‘the prize is in the process’, and as part of the bid we developed a 10-year strategy for culture-led regeneration. One of the cornerstones was a new Marlowe.
How did you choose your architect? We invited outline ideas, shortlisted fi ve architects, interviewed them and then held a public meeting to give peo- ple the opportunity to vote for their favourite. Keith Williams's design was by far the most striking and defi nitely the council’s favourite, but we weren’t sure how it would go down with a wider group of people, as Canterbury’s archi- tecture is largely historic. Thankfully Keith’s theatre was runaway favourite.
What was your role before joining Canterbury Council? I was head of Film, Media and Literature at the Arts Council (then called Northern Arts), where I helped establish the Northern Film and Television Archive. Being part of the management team at a time when Newcastle/Gateshead were investing millions into cultural projects to revital-
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Janice McGuinness Head of Culture & Enterprises Canterbury City Council
ise the quayside made me realise the power of a well-supported culture-led regeneration. I began to understand the key role that local councils need to play and wanted to be part of that. So I moved to Canterbury…
What has been your role in the Marlowe project? I’m the lead offi cer so I’ve been involved in every aspect of it. Along with a number of people, I’ve been living and breathing it for over eight years, having been involved in eve- rything from the earliest feasibility stages to the gala opening.
How have you worked with the various teams involved? I chaired an internal team, called ‘the Core team’. This drew together offi c- ers from across the council including the theatre, project management, property, legal, development, commu- nications and fundraising. I was also part of the ‘Principle’ team on the construction project – this comprised architect, contractor, project manager and the council, and I went to regular, more detailed project meetings on site
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with the design/building team. This ensured information fl owed well between all the parties involved.
What have been your main challenges?
The sheer amount of work involved in leading two capital projects of this scale while still heading up the Culture & Enterprise Service. Thank goodness I have two brilliant deputies!
What has been the Trust’s role and how have you worked as a team? The trust was established to raise around £4m to fi ll the funding gap and help build the theatre. The campaign board worked tirelessly and with real passion, as did the professional fun- draising team that supported them. They were involved in early discussions about the development, choice of architect etc, and my team supported their fundraising work. It was – and will continue to be – a great partnership.
What's next in terms of new cultural off erings in Canterbury? The next big capital project is the £13m refurbishment and extension of the Beaney Art Museum and Library around the corner from the Marlowe. It’s been running on a parallel track to the theatre, but turned out to be a rich archaeological site, which delayed the build and then we had problems with death watch beetle in its listed façade. It’s due to open summer 2012. ●
ISSUE 1 2012 © cybertrek 2011
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