Historical background of the Citadel Arts Centre
The Citadel Arts Centre is based in an old Salvation Army Citadel, built as the
original home of the Theatre Royal St Helens in 1861.
As a result of a report on Arts provision in the Borough, commissioned in 1984 by
Merseyside Arts and St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council, the building was
bought and refurbished in 1986 by the Rainford Trust. The Rainford Trust is a charity
set up by members of the Pilkington family to provide a focus for the disparate arts
activities emerging in the Borough and as a response to the pressing needs of young
people. The Citadel was opened in April 1988 by Richard Luce MP Minister for the
Arts who subsequently singled it out as an example of good practice in the Arts
sector. It quickly developed a good reputation and was voted top music venue in the
1991 Liverpool Post and Echo Arts Awards.
Originally managed by I.E.P. Ltd the Citadel became a Company Limited by
Guarantee with an independent Board in 1992. It was home to St Helens Arts
Resource Project (S.H.A.R.P.) doing project and outreach work whilst supporting the
establishment of various community-based theatre and music organisations at the
Citadel. SHARP was disbanded in 1992 following the expiry of the Urban
Programme.
By the end of 1995 the Citadel had become an annual revenue client of North West
Arts Board and acquired Charitable Status. After careful appraisal of its market it
began developing its own artistic programme in consultation with its funders, moving
towards a mix of bought in products covering a variety of art forms, education and
outreach work projects and community arts.
A feasibility study into how improvements could be made in the building was carried
out in 1996 and an application to the National Lottery through the Arts Council was
made. In February 1999 the Arts Council gave the go ahead on what had become a
£1 million refurbishment project.
In March 2000 the Citadel reopened with an eclectic music programme and the
launch of ‘Hand’s’ On’ the Citadel’s vibrant community arts programme in 2001. The
Citadel celebrated its 15th birthday in 2003 with Johnny Vegas becoming patron and
was voted one of the Independent’s top ten jazz and blues venues in 2004.
In 2007 the Arts Council gave notification of disinvestment effective from April 2008.
In response the Citadel conducted a feasibility study into alternative business
models. The Citadel celebrated its 21st birthday in 2009 and the same year was
awarded a £200,000 Big Lottery grant to run a music project for young people. Since
2008 the Citadel has generated over three quarters of a million pounds in grant and
project funding to enable delivery of arts activity for a cross section of the St Helens
borough residents.
In 2012 the Citadel commissioned historic theatre consultants Theatresearch to
produce a conservation statement to investigate the Citadel’s history and heritage.
The study unearthed the startling fact that the Citadel is the 7th oldest remaining
playhouse and 5th oldest remaining auditoria in the British Isles. Based on this
knowledge the Citadel submitted a Heritage Lottery capital bid to restore the building
to its 1860’s former glory. In 2013 the Citadel continues to go from strength to
strength working towards artistic and financial long term sustainability.