March 11 2005

Cube, Manchester’s architecture centre will close when its current exhibition ‘100 years – 100 chairs’ finishes at the end of April. The centre’s gallery space will be taken over by David Carter, director at Manchester Digital Development Agency (MDDA). The MDDA is a creative industries body that may address issues relating to the built environment but is unlikely to attract the quality of architectural exhibitions hosted by Cube in recent years. Certain strands of Cube’s activity, such as the education work undertaken by John Bishop, may continue through another body.

Cube, which was established in 1998 with support from Manchester City Council and a number of architectural practices, has been forced to close due to a funding crisis. The centre had developed an independent funding stream from the North West design agency but also relied on support from the North West Development Agency. Last year the future of the centre was uncertain after the NWDA cut back on spending. Cube also relied on funding from CABE and the Arts Council.

Cube’s supporters argue that it is ironic that the centre should be closing at a time when it is hosting its most popular exhibition. The current exhibition, ‘100 years – 100 chairs’, has provoked a great deal of public interest. Over the past four years Cube has established a reputation for being the single UK venue for a number of significant international architectural exhibitions, such as the recent Mendelsohn exhibition.

Jim Chapman, chair at Cube, said that he was sad to see the centre close but believed that it would be a temporary setback and the body would re-emerge in a different form and possibly in a different location.

“Cube has had a significant impact on the city’s approach to regeneration and served as a good vehicle for helping the city explain its ideas. It is important not to lose the thrust of what has been achieved”. Chapman said that he hoped that director Graeme Russell would still be involved with Cube.

The closure of Cube in its present form marks the end of an era in the life cycle of the architecture centre. “Cube is more akin to the early independent architecture centres that were established by people with a passion for the discipline. Today’s new centres politically driven and tend to be worthy,” said one source.

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