Kennet Valley Arts Trust - The Riverbank Project

Since the proposal was first endorsed in 1996 by packed public meetings, Kennet valley Arts Trust (KVAT) has worked towards developing a purpose built arts facility in Marlborough.  KVAT identified the ideal site, close to the river and hence named  ‘Riverbank’. The charity set up a network of ‘friends’, carried out detailed feasibility studies and obtained outline planning consent  for a theatre, café and exhibition space.

Meanwhile KVAT has been running a range of arts events in existing facilities in Marlborough and nearby.  The KVAT events have gone from strength to strength, with concerts and films, as well as workshops for young people in the area. 

However, raising the funds to develop the Riverbank centre proved more difficult, in spite of many pledges of financial support including help from the National Lottery.

In 2008 the Trustees started to look for alternative propositions, which would meet the charity’s original objectives but at the same time attract alternative sources of finance.  Out of this came the idea of working with a commercial arts facility operator who would develop the site while guaranteeing KVAT the opportunity to run its events at the facility for an agreed proportion of the time.

  This would offer a way of delivering a first quality facility for the Marlborough community, to promote interest and participation in the arts and support events which could not be run on a commercial basis.

This proposal is now under discussion with the newly formed Wiltshire Council and we hope to be able to move the project forward in the coming months.  Watch this space…

Trustees

John Cornell (Chair)

Jonathan Buxton

Graham Francis

David Margesson
Michael Nott

Charles Scott
Madeline Wilks

Julie Baddley

• Registered in England & Wales as a Company Limited by Guarantee • Registration Number No. 3188787
• Registered Charity No. 1055021