Lowry to bid for Arts Council cash for ‘critical’ £10m upgrades

Salford Quays’ 25-year old theatre and cultural venue requires a package of interventions to “prevent closure”.

The Lowry has been invited to bid for £8.5m from Arts Council England’s Creative Foundations Fund. If successful, Salford City Council would provide the remaining £1.5m to deliver the project.

The funding is required to pay for “critical and urgent infrastructure needs”, according to a report to the city council’s cabinet.

The report states that the Lowry, which has seen 20m visitors pass through its doors since 2000, highlights that much of the building’s infrastructure is out of date.

Two escalators prone to breaking down would be replaced with lifts, improving the building’s accessibility, while the venue’s boilers would be replaced to reduce carbon emissions. The Lowry’s fire systems would also be upgraded.

The work would ensure the venue’s “continued operation, sustainability, and adaptability for all its communities and evolving audience and visitor needs”, the report adds.

Salford City Council was contacted for comment.