Opening the Eastern Angles Centre (in a grand way)

Last month we welcomed friends and colleagues from across our local community to join us for the long-awaited Grand Opening of the Eastern Angles Centre.

Since the opportunity to expand our Ipswich base first arose, we have been busy working hard to create a welcoming arts and heritage community hub for West Ipswich. When our doors first opened in Spring 2021, we were unable to hold a big celebratory event to mark the occasion. Instead we slowly and carefully opened up the space, welcoming local individuals and organisations into the building (such as Inside Out Community and South Street Kids) as well as developing our own community projects (like Homework Club and Holiday Club).

We are incredibly proud of what this building has become over the past year and last week’s Grand Opening event was the perfect opportunity to celebrate its history and future with our local community.

The Eastern Angles Centre building has previously been a primary school, a drama centre and until their move to The Hold was home to the Suffolk Records Office – today it is a live-streaming theatre, co-working space, community room, Box Office, rehearsal studio and hot desking facility!

We kicked off the afternoon with a performance of Streets Alive, our free street theatre project that toured to Suffolk towns and playgrounds throughout July. Stilt walking and puppetry brought the story of Margaret Catchpole to life in our very own car park!

After the show, we welcomed our audience inside to look around the Centre and see how we’ve transformed it. Exhibition displays followed the history of the building, prompting people to share their memories of involvement with various groups.

A photography and prop display in the Rehearsal Room celebrated the Eastern Angles shows that have been rehearsed and performed at the Sir John Mills Theatre, whilst information boards in the Community Room showcased the work of other local organisations who now call this place home, and recorded interviews with local young people told us about Homework Club in our Centre Room.

For the Grand Opening Ceremony we invited seven members of the community, made up of users of the Centre and local neighbours, to cut five celebratory balloons.

Here’s a look back at the big moment…

Thank you to everyone that joined us for the special afternoon – after such a difficult opening year, it was wonderful to be able to come together in celebration this summer. We can’t wait to welcome you all back to the Eastern Angles Centre soon.