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Borough welcomes cultural trust, The Garage, taking on the Carnegie building

Carnegie building in King's Lynn

Published: Thursday, 30th January 2025

Norfolk County Council announced on Monday that The Garage Trust, who run the Workshop, have been selected, and have been given the unique opportunity, to take on the Carnegie Library building.

Borough members and officers welcomed being involved with the decision-making process.

Cllr Simon Ring, Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Business and Culture, said:

“The Workshop have been active in King’s Lynn since 2015 and opened a small but welcoming space in New Conduit Street in the town in 2019. For several years they have also taken their sessions out to local primary schools and been a valuable part of delivering activities and confidence building for young people in West Norfolk as part of the Boost project. They’re an innovative arts organisation who also provide valuable support to young people who face challenging circumstances; as a result their activities have been well received by residents.

“They have clearly outgrown their current base and I’m pleased to see the ambition to deliver their arts programmes to an even wider audience in one of King’s Lynn’s most historic and loved buildings. This keeps the Carnegie open to all. Terms are being discussed, and the Borough and the County Council are examining options around a pre-emption clause as part of the ongoing negotiations.  Such a clause is intended to ensure that the building will, in perpetuity, be maintained for community use, something that Adam Taylor from The Garage Trust is keen to support.

“I, along with a council officer, were grateful to be part of the panel interview process organised by Norfolk County Council to contribute to the process with local knowledge and understanding of the town’s needs.

“There were some creative and well thought out applicants for this incredible location, and I would particularly like to commend the passion and ambition of The Marjory Kempe Trust, who were shortlisted as the final two, and who I am determined to support in their ambition. Their proposal strongly aligns with our emerging Culture & Heritage Strategy for King’s Lynn and we can see how they could develop to be an important cultural organisation in the town to support delivery of the emerging priorities in our strategy. The Garage Trust was the bidder that the panel felt had the whole package of a track record, a strong cultural, and sustainable offer which was vital. I hope to see all the other applicants continue to work with the many established organisations in the town to help realise the fantastic vision and ideas they each have.

“The Garage Trust have a track record of delivering to the residents of Norfolk for the last two decades and, through The Workshop, have been doing so in West Norfolk for ten years. They can hit the ground running when they base themselves at one of the jewels in King’s Lynn crown and I welcome this decision.”

The Garage Trust is a cultural charity dedicated to transforming lives through the arts. Established in 2002, it operates from two main sites in King's Lynn and Norwich, offering a wide range of music, theatre, and dance classes, community activities as well as making and presenting small-scale performances for children.

The Garage Trust plans to work with residents and community members to relocate their vibrant cultural work from elsewhere in the town to ensure the safeguarding of the Carnegie building.

Long-term plans involve co-designing the site's development with the community and the Council’s planning and conservation team, focusing on respecting and celebrating the building’s heritage assets, sustainability and reducing environmental impact. They will maintain open access to the building, offering both free and paid programmes, and ensure sensitive refurbishment to preserve the library's historic features. From community co-designers; choir members, those who participate in their educational programmes, participants who come for weekly classes and courses there is real excitement at the potential that this opportunity presents.

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