Redevelopment of the 20th Century Theatre
291 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2QA, United Kingdom
The 20th Century Theatre will be restored as a fitting space for excellent
music, dance and spoken wordperformances.
What will be created?
The lovely ambiance of the existing 20th C. The theatre performance hall will be restored as a fitting space for excellent music, dance, and spoken word performances. A separate participation and learning space will enable a wide range of community activities.
Three discreet rooms will be created to offer private space to be hired by musicians (including young people) for music practice. A café and bar will serve community participants, musicians, and audiences, and provide an attractive drop-in facility for local people.
The venue will become a vibrant hub, presenting a diverse range of chamber music, and participation and learning opportunities for the whole community.
How will the building be used?
The restored performance space will present:
• Piano recitals
• String quartets
• A range of world music
• Songs from the musicals
• Comedians
• Chamber ensembles
Local people of all ages and backgrounds will be
welcomed for:
• Drama and dance workshops
• Music adult education classes
• Group music tuition
(inc. dhol, tabla, drums and voice)
Who can use it?
Young, developing musicians and established practitioners will be able to hire affordable practice rooms, each acoustically isolated and equipped with a high-quality upright piano. Local community groups will be able to hire affordable meeting space and space for performance rehearsals and performances.
Youth music ensembles will also benefit from rehearsal and performance facilities. Or you will be able to simply drop in for a cuppa, coffee, cake and a sandwich. The venue will be open all day for participation activity (including practice rooms), with some school groups and local community participants (e.g. mothers and toddlers) attending during the day time. Performances will be staged two or three evenings a week with the additional potential for Sunday afternoon concert performances.
How will the public benefit
• A wide range of different performances will be accessible to local people at affordable prices.
• New opportunities for participation in music-making, dance, drama, and adult learning will be available to the local community.
• People in the area will have more choices of creative activity and a formerly disused but historic theatre building will be restored, re-opened, and given a new lease of life.
• The profile of the venue will enhance the area and attract visitors who will frequent local shops and businesses
Who are we?
The Aspect Foundation is a registered charity that organises diverse chamber music concerts in special venues. The performances (small music groups rather than large orchestras) combine high-quality presentations with talks and opportunities for encounters with musicians, giving audiences a closer experience of classical music (including world music). The Foundation has been staging concerts in London and New York for over 10 years. The project offers a significant new opportunity to the community of Kensington and Chelsea, through a vision to share its passion for high-quality chamber music and participation opportunities within an interactive context