Ipswich Society backing St Clements Church arts centre with grant boost
Richard MacRae, Carol Gant, Simon Hallsworth and Ellie DeGory at St Clements Church, Ipswich they hope to turn into an Arts Centre. Picture: LUCY TAYLOR
The Ipswich Society has endorsed the creation of an Ipswich Arts Centre after donating £1,000 to the cause.
John Norman presenting the cheque to Sarah Shepperd and Carol Gant with members of the Ipswich Arts Centre group, The Ipswich Society, Peter Brooks chairman Ipswich Historic Churches Trust and councillor Mandy Gaylard. Picture: TIM LEGGETT - Credit: Tim Leggett
The arts centre is being established at St Clements Church in Star Lane, with the church the last of three redundant medieval churches on the Waterfront to get a new lease of life, following St Peter’s (now St Peter’s by the Waterfront) and St Mary’s (now Quay Place).
The Ipswich Society – a civic body which looks after the past, present and future of the town – presented the grant on Monday in recognition of the project’s importance.
Ipswich Society chairman John Norman said: “This is a larger contribution than we, as a society, are usually able make to local projects, but the amount reflects the importance of an arts centre in such a key location in the town.”
Work is ongoing inside to restore the interior, with the space set to host live music, theatre, art and comedy once it is open.
St Clements Church in Star Lane is to become the Ipswich Arts Centre. Picture: TIM LEGGETT - Credit: Tim Leggett
