Arts Centre has go-ahead but needs funding

A two year battle to turn Acton’s Old Library into a new cinema and art-house has won the go-ahead from Ealing councillors.

The Acton Arts Centre Project was one of five bids examined by Ealing Council - and the recommendation of officers that the AACP bid was the best was unanimously green-lit.

The Project group - entirely made up of Acton residents - is now drawing up a full planning application to make the Old Library a new 2-screen cinema, cafe-bar and arts hub. And we’re urgently engaging in a range of vital fund-raising activity. News and Spacehive info on how to pledge financial support is available on the actonartsproject.com website.

Pledges are so far heading towards £50k. Local business pledges and other grants will add to initial targets to meet the funding needed to make a start.

Full conversion of the 120-year-old building will cost around £1m.

We have applied for matched-funding from the GLA’s Good Growth Fund. 

This is a major victory for local common sense and ambition - nothing less than helping revive the ailing High Street. It’s also a really positive deterrent to civic fatalism about what’s happening in Acton.

In whatever way the W3 community feels it can contribute to turn this approval into a must-visit venue - please back AACP to make it happen. We’re not short of ideas - they’re always welcome. But money is what will get this off the ground. Up and running it will pay for itself. Getting it up and running is the next battle.

Please join us - and do your bit to get one of the best buildings in the borough back in use for the people of Acton!

Doug Carnegie

17th October 2019