Cornerstone arts centre opens doors to public (From Herald Series)

Cornerstone arts centre opens doors to public

3:13pm Monday 1st September 2008

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DIDCOT's Cornerstone arts centre opened at the weekend to an influx of people keen on using the premises and working out its potential.

After a formal opening event on the Friday, Saturday was the people's day, with a wide variety of activities for adults and children.

The story of the South Oxfordshire District Council-funded arts centre was told in text and photographs in a display in the gallery area.

Visitors in the main auditorium were thrilled with a display of lighting effects which could be used for various acts, children had the chance to learn moves from the film High School Musical in the Diamond Dance Studio and, in the square outside, the Theatrix theatre company put on a show entitled A Brief History of Didcot.

The official handover of the £7.4m building was done by builder Leadbitter's construction manager Paul McMaster, who presented the shovel used to turn the first sod on the development to SODC chairman Colin Daukes. A sell-out concert by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain on Friday night boded well for the area's new hot-bed of culture.

The venue boasts a 278-seater theatre, an exhibition room, space for children's and adults' craft classes and workshops, a dance studio, changing rooms, a green room and its own cafe, Couture.

Cornerstone director Emma Dolman said: "It's really exciting that it's all happening here. I think it is ideal in size and it's there for the people of Didcot and the whole of the district and, hopefully, it will attract people from further afield as well."

The building is covered in distinctive silver, blue and orange cladding and marks a significant - and colourful - step in the overall development of Didcot. A wide range of musicians, dancers, entertainers and theatre groups are booked for the autumn season.

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