 Barbican Lakeside on a summer evening | |
 Interactive map of Barbican Centre | |
| Address | Silk Street London,EC2 United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°31′13″N0°05′42″W / 51.5202°N 0.0950°W /51.5202; -0.0950 |
| Public transit |  Barbican  FarringdonMoorgate |
| Owner | City of London Corporation |
| Designation | Grade II |
| Type | performing arts centre |
| Capacity | Barbican Hall: 1,943 Barbican Theatre: 1,156 The Pit: 200 Barbican Film Cinema 1: 288 Cinema 2: 156 Cinema 3: 156 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1982; 44 years ago (1982) |
| Architect | Chamberlin, Powell and Bon |
| Website | |
| barbican | |
TheBarbican Centre is aperforming arts centre in theBarbican Estate of theCity of London, England, and the largest of its kind in Europe.[1] The centre hosts classical andcontemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings andart exhibitions. It also houses a library, three restaurants, anda conservatory. The Barbican Centre is a member of theGlobal Cultural Districts Network.
TheLondon Symphony Orchestra and theBBC Symphony Orchestra are based in the centre's Concert Hall. In 2013, it once again became the London-based venue of theRoyal Shakespeare Company following the company's departure in 2001.[2]
It was built as theCity of London's gift to the nation at a cost of£161 million (equivalent to £718 million in 2023[3]), and was officially opened to the public byQueen Elizabeth II on 3 March 1982. Together with theSouthbank Centre, a similar arts centre, the Barbican Centre is also known for itsbrutalist architecture.[4]
The Barbican Centre is owned, funded, and managed by theCity of London Corporation and governed by the Barbican Centre Board, chaired byTom Sleigh.[5][6]
SirJohn Tusa served as managing director from 1995 to 2007, overseeing a period of significant development including a major refurbishment programme.[7] He was succeeded by SirNicholas Kenyon, who held the position from 2007 until September 2021.[8] Kenyon's departure followed the June 2021 publication of *Barbican Stories*, a dossier compiled by current and former staff alleging institutional racism at the centre.[9]
Following Kenyon's departure,Will Gompertz andSandeep Dwesar served as joint interim managing directors.[10] In 2022, the role was restructured from managing director to chief executive, withClaire Spencer appointed as the centre's first CEO.[11] Spencer stepped down in 2024 after two years in the role.[12]Abigail Pogson was appointed as CEO in 2026.[13]
The second-floor library is one of the fiveCity of London libraries. It is one of the largest public libraries in London and has a separate arts library, a large music library and a children's library that regularly conducts free events. The Barbican Library houses the 'London Collection' of historical books and resources, some of which date back to the 18th century, all being available on loan. The library presents regular literary events[16] and has an art exhibition space for hire. The music library has two free practice pianos for public use.
.jpg)
The Barbican Centre had a long development period, only opening some years after the surroundingBarbican Estate housing complex had been completed. It is situated in an area which was badly bombed during World War II.
The Barbican Centre, designed byPeter Chamberlin,Geoffry Powell and Christoph Bon ofChamberlin, Powell and Bon in theBrutalist style, has a complex multi-level layout with numerous entrances. Lines painted on the ground help would-be audience members avoid getting lost on the walkways of theBarbican Estate, within which the centre is located, on the way to it. The Barbican Centre's design – a concreteziggurat – has always been controversial and divides opinion. It was voted "London's ugliest building" in aGrey London poll in September 2003.[17]
In September 2001, arts ministerTessa Blackstone announced that the Barbican Centre complex was to be aGrade IIlisted building. It has been designated a site of special architectural interest for its scale, its cohesion and the ambition of the project.[18] The centre was designed by architectural practiceChamberlin, Powell and Bon, who were also responsible for the upscale residential area surrounding the centre (theBarbican Estate), as well as the nearbyGolden Lane Estate. Project architect John Honer later worked on theBritish Library at St Pancras – a red brick ziggurat.
In the mid-1990s, a cosmetic improvement scheme byTheo Crosby, of thePentagram design studio, added statues and decorative features reminiscent of theArts and Crafts movement. In 2005–2006, the centre underwent a more significant refurbishment, designed by architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris andRoger Westman, which improved circulation and introduced bold signage in a style in keeping with the centre's original 1970sBrutalist architecture. That improvement scheme added an internal bridge linking the Silk Street foyer area with the lakeside foyer area. The centre'sSilk Street entrance, previously dominated by an access for vehicles, was modified to give better pedestrian access. The scheme included removing most of the mid-1990s embellishments.
Outside, the main focal point of the centre is the lake and its neighbouring terrace. The theatre'sfly tower has been surrounded by glass and made into a high-levelconservatory.
The Barbican Hall's acoustic has also been controversial: some praised it as attractively warm, but others found it too dry for large-scale orchestral performance. In 1994,Chicago acoustician Larry Kirkegaard oversaw a £500,000 acoustic re-engineering of the hall "producing a perceptible improvement in echo control and sound absorption", music criticNorman Lebrecht wrote in October 2000[19] – and returned in 2001 to rip out the stage canopy and drop adjustable acoustic reflectors, designed by Caruso St John, from the ceiling, as part of a £7.5 mn refurbishment of the hall. Art music magazineGramophone still complained about "the relative dryness of the Barbican acoustic" in August 2007.[20]
The theatre was built as the London home of theRoyal Shakespeare Company, which was involved in the design, but decided not to renew its contract in 2002 after claiming a lack of performing space, plus the artistic director,Adrian Noble, wanting to develop the company's touring performances.[21] The theatre's response was to extend its existing six-month season of international productions, "Barbican International Theatre Event", to the whole year.[22] On 23 January 2013,Greg Doran, RSC artistic director, announced the company's return to the Barbican Centre in a three-year season of Shakespeare'shistory plays.[23]
In 2017, a new concert hall called theCentre for Music, London was proposed by the Barbican,London Symphony Orchestra, and theGuildhall School of Music and Drama.[24][25] The proposals were cancelled in 2021.[26][27]
TheGuildhall School of Music and Drama, where the Barbican Centre theatrical performances are occasionally staged,[28] and the City of London's Barbican Library, neither part of the centre, are also on the site. TheMuseum of London is nearby atAldersgate, and is also within the Barbican Estate.
The annualLondon Australian Film Festival (LAFF), supported by theAustralian Film Commission (AFC), was formerly held at the Barbican Theatre, from March 1994[29] until the 17th edition in 2011.[30][31] In 2017, the volunteer-run London Australian Film Society founded a new festival, initially named Oz Film Festival but later renamed London Australian Film Festival. Despite the identical name, it has nothing to do with the LAFF at the Barbican, and screenings are held at other cinemas in London.[32][33]
The Barbican Centre features inMichael Paraskos's novelIn Search of Sixpence as the home of the lead character, Geroud, and also a bar called "The Gin Bar" loosely based on the Gin Joint bar at the Barbican Centre.[34]
Several Barbican locations appear as foreground, background, or both, in the Star WarsAndor series.
Many places in and views of the Barbican appear in many episodes of theSlow Horses TV series based on novels by Mick Herron.
The music video forAs It Was, a 2022 song by English singer-songwriterHarry Styles, was filmed extensively in the Barbican Centre and theBarbican Conservatory.
Bladee's music video for his song "Like a Virgin" was shot on the grounds of the Barbican Centre.
.jpg)
| Wards | |
|---|---|
| Enclaves | |
| Localities | |
| Attractions |
|
| Notable structures | |
| Civil parishes | |
| Bridges | |
| Rail and tube stations | |
| Topics | |
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
