May opening date for Home

Home, the £25m cultural venue at First Street North in Manchester, has announced an official opening date of 21 May 2015.

Home is the cultural anchor at Ask Property Development's £500m First Street scheme and is a product of a merger between the Cornerhouse and the Library Theatre Company. The venue includes a 500-seat theatre, a 150-seat flexible studio space, five cinema screens, a gallery space, digital production and broadcast facilities and a cafe bar and restaurant.

Cornerhouse will relocate from its venue on Oxford Road.

The opening theatre production at Home will be the world-premiere of The Funfair by Simon Stephens, with an exhibition and film screenings alongside.

Mecanoo is the architect for Home and Wates Construction is the main contractor. The scheme was funded by £19m from Manchester City Council and £5m from the Arts Council.

The 2.2-acre First Street North site includes a 208-bed Innside Hotel, a Vita student apartment block, eight restaurants andcafe units and a 700-space multi-storey Q-Park car park.

Dave Moutrey, director and chief executive of Home said: "This gives a little taste of our artistic ambition for Home when it opens in May next year. We'll be a home for everyone, staging challenging and critically engaged art, yet connected with our city and communities. Our opening will introduce audiences to new and extraordinary experiences of outstanding art and show off to the world just what is possible in our beautiful new building."