London Symphony Orchestra port monuments arts festivals historic markets Guildhall School of Music & Drama arts funding City residents Barbican Centre churches City police Museum of London open spaces Barbican Centre Annual Review 2006/07 The 2006 Barbican Annual Review The City of London is the world’s leading international financial and business centre, a global powerhouse at the heart of the UK’s economy. City of London The City of London Corporation supports and promotes the City and the businesses within it. It sustains all the needs of a 24-hour city and helps position it for the future. Its mission is to ensure that the City continues to thrive and retains its place as Europe’s financial capital. and the The Barbican Centre is provided by the City of London Corporation as part of its contribution to the cultural life of London and the nation. / Barbican www.cityoflondon.gov.uk 07 2 Barbican Annual Review 06/07 53 The City of The Barbican’s London and vision and tbc the Barbican mission The Barbican Centre is provided by the City of London Driving the arts by leading, challenging and entertaining Corporation as part of its contribution to the cultural life of audiences through an imaginative, diverse and stimulating London and the nation. This contribution also includes the programme, offering quality, diversity and innovation, open Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Tower Bridge and the and accessible to all. Guildhall Art Gallery as well as sponsorship of numerous organisations, festivals and events. Satisfying our audiences by creating a welcoming and friendly environment that provides a total quality experience While providing local government services for an area not throughout the Centre, offering education and outreach, much larger than a square mile, the City Corporation commits expanding our audiences and exceeding our visitors’ more resources to arts and culture than any local authority, expectations. making it one of the most significant arts sponsors in the UK. This crucial leadership and vision is something it shares with its Serving our business clients through the provision Barbican Centre of high-quality facilities to meet their commercial and promotional needs and setting such high standards that Unafraid to experiment and bringing talents from around companies will consistently return to us and recommend us the world, the Barbican Centre has transformed itself into to others as a premier venue. a cutting-edge, world-famous resource with a global perspective. The Barbican’s 25th birthday year has provided Knowing our business by making the best use of resources a perfect opportunity to discover the wonderful diversity of its provided by the City of London, by being efficient and international arts programme. effective in everything we do so that the worlds of business www.cityoflondon.gov.uk and the arts recognise and respect us for our achievements. www.barbican.org.uk Barbican Annual Review 06/07 3 Chairman’s foreword 04–05 Annual Review Managing Director’s introduction 06–07 Contents Recent awards and nominations 08–09 From Rio to Dublin via New York and Russia / Artistic Director’s report 10–13 Barbican’s 25th Birthday 14–17 ‘The Barbican is like a cathedral to ideas.’ Voyage of discovery / Head of Education’s report 18–21 Michael Rosen, Poet New arts initiatives 22–27 Promotions and commissions 28–33 A new era for the LSO / LSO Managing Director’s report 34–35 ‘Doing Something Different’ pays dividends / Head of Marketing’s report 36–37 Barbican’s new look reinforces it’s identity and brand 38–41 Putting customers first and supporting the arts / Commercial and Venue Services Director’s report 42–45 From the engine room of the Barbican / Projects and Building Services Director’s report 46–47 Harnessing creativity / Human Resources Director’s report 48–49 Cover: New Barbican Front Door on Silk Street © Morley von Sternberg Taking greater risks to reach new heights / Financial Director’s report 50–53 Inside back cover: The Barbican within The City © Morley von Sternberg Opposite: The Barbican within the City of London, taken from Lauderdale Tower, Barbican Estate © Morley von Sternberg 4 Barbican Annual Review 06/07 ‘Under the directorship of Sir John Tusa the Centre’s output has been far from bunker-like. Generous funding from the City of London helps, but so does the mixing of sure-fire sell-outs with eclectic work. Nicholas Kenyon, the Controller of the BBC Proms who is now set to be the Barbican’s next Director, inherits a building where there is always something rich and strange going on.’ The Guardian, ‘In praise of the Barbican’, 3 March 2007 Barbican Annual Review 06/07 5 This year has been a momentous one for the Barbican in so many This year saw a strong financial performance alongside an ways. Gaining a front door, in time for the 25th birthday artistically outstanding programme. For several years, Barbican Chairman’s celebrations, was symbolic. The Barbican’s strengthened sense of has generated 80% of the programme in-house, in sharp contrast identity is now proudly emblazoned on its threshold – ‘art, theatre, to the 10% when Tusa started, and this year the Centre took even music, dance, film, education, conferences, library, restaurants and greater artistic risks. Its first panto, Dick Whittington and his Cat, bars’. Over 25 years, the Barbican has matured into a national was a resounding success, drawing thousands of families to the foreword icon. It is now embedded in London’s cultural map as the largest Centre, many for the first time. We are proud that the Barbican arts centre in Europe with one of the freshest, most vibrant now earns 45% of its annual revenue through its own efforts at the programmes. In the City of London Corporation, we are proud box office and in its vigorous commercial activity. that it has become an international symbol of creative innovation at the heart of a thriving financial metropolis. However, the biggest highlight was the birthday itself, with HM The Queen’s return to the Centre, 25 years after she opened it, the The completion of the 7-year, £35 million refurbishment has been City’s Lunch for the Arts at Mansion House and the Do Something a catalyst for a wider appreciation of the Barbican’s architecture. Different weekend, when the foyers were overrun with families. Architectural firm Allford Hall Monaghan Morris has sensitively brought out so many of the original features revealing the merits Above all, the recent customer services awards testify to how well of the original design. Their redesign was recognised by a RIBA this organisation is run and what a huge asset the helpful front-of- Regional Award this year. This is an impressive achievement. house staff have been in making the Barbican such a welcoming environment and the foyers a vibrant meeting place for all. Sir John Tusa’s dozen years at the helm as Managing Director, which ends this summer, has contributed hugely to the Though it is with great sadness that we have to say goodbye to Sir transformation of the Barbican and to making it a beacon of John Tusa, he leaves the Barbican in an excellent state for excellence. This is what Tusa has stood for and fought for, with Nicholas Kenyon to take over on 1 October. There is tremendous exceptional results. With Graham Sheffield as Artistic Director, excitement about the Barbican’s future direction, not least with the Tusa set about modernising the Centre, both artistically and visualisation of the Barbican’s new cultural quarter – the Guildhall organisationally. He has surrounded himself with a committed, School of Music & Drama, its new development in Milton Court passionate team who marry strong business sense with artistic flair. and LSO St Luke’s at the end of Whitecross Street. Together they consolidated the artistic programme under one management and created the Barbican’s template for unique So congratulations to all the staff at the Barbican for making this programming, multi-arts festivals and cross-genre events. year such a resounding success. Finally, I would like to thank my fellow Committee members who give generously of their time and The 25th Birthday celebrations gave everyone – the public, commitment in supporting the Barbican and in working to ensure artists and media alike – a chance to look back at how the Centre that it continues to thrive. Here’s to the next 25 years! came into existence and to evaluate its achievements. Hundreds of patrons wrote in to the 25th website. Many of their comments John Barker OBE are printed throughout this report and can be viewed at Chairman www.barbican.org.uk/25. The City’s initial post-war dream of Barbican Committee creating a residential community in the heart of the City with its own international arts centre, was a sharp reminder that no one would ever build on such a scale again in this country. This unique View across the Barbican Estate and the City of London, taken from Lauderdale Tower, Barbican Estate Barbican Estate Tower, Lauderdale from London, taken and the City of the Barbican Estate across View Sternberg von © Morley Chairman John Barker, vision of a utopian world has not lost its edge. 6 Barbican Annual Review 06/07 When they complete their term serving in a foreign capital, British ambassadors traditionally write a final despatch to the Foreign Managing Secretary summing up their time in post. Traditionally, they are allowed a good deal of latitude in expressing their opinions about the country with which they have been involved. Director’s At the end of almost 12 years as Managing Director of the Barbican Centre, I feel in a very similar position to a departing ambassador.