Celebrities asked to restore arts centre with £1m sponsorship
Entertainers and promoters ranging from Don King to George Michael have been offered the right to give their name to a proposed arts and education centre in London in return for &£1m in sponsorship.
A trust, backed by &£6.35m of lottery money, is restoring the listed Victorian town hall in upmarket Hampstead, but must raise &£2.1m in matching funding to receive the full grant.
The trust is looking for commercial sponsors who would earn naming rights to the building, called the Hampstead Town Hall Centre, for a 20-year term in return for &£1m.
Naming rights for a ten-year term for the whole building have been priced at &£650,000, while rights to the part of the building which houses the performing arts centre would cost &£250,000 for a 99-year lease.
Database Publishing sponsorship broker Murray Stott says: “The Hampstead Town Hall Centre is right next to The Bishop’s Avenue, London’s millionaire row. This is a venue with great cachet.”
The trust responsible for restoring the centre has received the backing of Prince Charles and Lord Puttnam and donations from leading figures, including actor Michael Palin.
It has permission to turn the building into a leading arts and media centre, which will include a concert hall, studios and conference facilities and room to house 25 charities.
