Norwich Arts Centre circa 1978

A £500,000 renovation of Norwich Arts Centre has revealed a series of hidden gems at the performing arts venue.

Housed in a converted church on the city’s St Benedict’s Street, the Arts Council-supported transformation will see new lighting and sound equipment installed, revamps of bars and toilets to improve accessibility, and the installation of solar panels and flexible window blinds to make the venue more eco-friendly.

During the work – which also includes a top to bottom redecoration – staff have discovered a number of hidden features behind old box work and the built-up grime of years of concerts and events.

The centre has been posting some of the best on its Instagram account, giving a fascinating behind-the-scenes insight into the venue’s transformation.

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Uncovering history every day #NACregeneration

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Despite the substantial Arts Council cash injection, the centre still needs to raise £40,000 in match-funding itself. Around a third of the money has already been secured, and supporters can donate online via the Norwich Art Centre website.

The venue is due to reopen on Saturday, September 14 for Dazed In Space, described as “an intergalactic evening of drag, theatre and live art”.