Lincoln Barbican Hotel arts centre project set to begin

A £3m project to turn a Victorian hotel in Lincoln into an arts centre is set to begin in the autumn, it has been confirmed.

The former Barbican Hotel on St Mary's Street, which has been empty since 2008, will house a public gallery, freelance art studios and a café. 

The centre, known as The Barbican Creative Hub, is one of a number of schemes being developed after a £19m government levelling up grant awarded to City of Lincoln Council.

It is expected to open in summer 2024.

The Grade II listed building, which was built in 1867 as a gentleman's club, was chosen out of 30 possible locations to house the arts centre, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The project, which is the result of a partnership between Lincolnshire Co-operative and the University of Lincoln, received funding from government's Town Deal Fund, City of Lincoln Council and Historic England.

It would serve as a catalyst for start-ups and fledgling businesses in the creative sector, City of Lincoln Council said.

Sally Denton, the executive director at The Barbican Creative Hub at the University of Lincoln, said: "Following on from the initial exterior stonework renovations, work will commence shortly on phase two of the project.

Ms Denton said the first phase of work would see "the interior of the building being fully refurbished whilst celebrating the heritage of this iconic building."

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