Wolverhampton art centre’s open-air stage is all set for summer lift off
A popular city arts centre is preparing to host DJ sets, plays and live music at its new outdoor events area.
Newhampton Arts Centre in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, has applied for a licence to run its summer programme of events in an outdoor marquee.
The Dunkley Street venue has submitted an application to Wolverhampton Council to run events seven days a week from May 1 to September 30.
Performances would be allowed between 10am and 10pm, according to the application.
It also says: “Any bespoke DJ sets would occur on Friday, Saturday and bank holiday Sundays, 10am – 10pm only, and be subject to any limits recommended by environmental health.”
The requested licence would also allow alcohol to be sold in the courtyard and marquee areas between 11am and 9.45pm.
The venue’s New Horizons stage has been dubbed its “response to Covid”, allowing live music to return to the city in a safe environment.
The big-top style tent stage will sit in the central courtyard – which enable restrictions to operate without side walls – allowing for full external ventilation.
It will be officially launched in June by Henning Wehn, the self-styled German Comedy Ambassador.
Among the shows to be lined up at the centre over the coming months is its first every folk festival, Folk at New Horizons on July 3.
It will be headlined by five-piece Calan, while singer-songwriter Pete Morton and The Vera Van Heeringen Trio are also down to perform.
Earlier this month the venue received a grant of £32,871 from the Government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund to help it recover and reopen after the pandemic.
Trevelyan Wright, CEO at Newhampton Arts Centre, said the support was “invaluable” in enabling NAC to restart its cultural programme safely.
“We will use this grant to make our site even more Covid-secure for classes and events; to create our outdoor covered performance area The New Horizons Stage; and to upgrade our streaming capacity in the theatre,” he added.
