About Us
Attenborough Arts Centre’s vision: Breaking down barriers to the arts, we are inclusive, radical and ambitious. Bold in our creativity & action, we are Citizens of Change. We believe that everyone is creative and we work to celebrate the creativity of everyone.
Attenborough Arts Centre was established by Lord Richard Attenborough in 1997. He was passionate about the arts and social justice, and the principles he held continue to be relevant today. In his maiden speech in the House of Lords in 1994, Lord Attenborough said:
“From the very earliest of times the arts have been an instinctive essential of our humanity. They are a miraculous sleight of hand which reveal the truth and a glorious passport to greater understanding between the peoples of the world. The arts not only enrich our lives but grant us the opportunity to challenge accepted practices and assumptions… [and] give us a means of protest against that which we believe to be unjust.”
Today Attenborough Arts Centre stays true to Lord Attenborough’s vision by removing barriers to participation for those who face them and broadening access to culture and creativity for all. We prioritise giving platforms to those who are often not heard or represented, enabling them to express their ideas and tell their stories.
Above all, we continue in Lord Attenborough’s belief that: “Art is not an elitist gift for a few select people. Art is for everyone.”
