Construction of the shell and core on DanceEast's £8.6m Jerwood DanceHouse is near to completion with handover scheduled in October for the fit-out.
Over £7.9 million has been raised from trusts, foundations, businesses and individuals, but a further £650,000 still urgently needs to be found to ensure that the full fit-out can be completed.
The DanceHouse, which is being built on the former Cranfields Mill site on the Ipswich Waterfront, will be a leading attraction, offering dance classes for people of all ages and abilities, performances and residences by community and professional dance companies, and masterclasses and workshops for future dance professionals. It will also be the home to the DanceEast Academy, one of the country's six Centres for Advanced Training.
Assis Carreiro, DanceEast's artistic director & chief executive has been instrumental in the fundraising campaign. "The funds still to be raised are a drop in the ocean compared to what's been done so far, but in many ways it's the most difficult bit. We desperately need to raise the remaining funds to ensure that the facilities, equipment and accessibility are of the highest standards required of a leading dance centre. The DanceHouse will help to put Ipswich and Suffolk on the map and will attract talented young dancers from across the East of England who want to make dance their career, as well as those who just want to come along to have fun and keep fit."
James Hehir, chief executive of Ipswich Borough Council added "This is an exciting project which will transform the cultural ambitions of the region. The Dance House will signify the vitality of the Waterfront and together with the University will raise the national profile of Ipswich. With construction almost completed, the vision is now becoming a reality and this final push is critical to its realisation."
Donors can sponsor individual items of equipment through the Red Shoe Appeal, from £50 for a square meter of dance floor, to £500 for a named seat in the Studio Theatre and £5,000 for specialist dance equipment. A range of bespoke naming opportunities are also available.
For more information about the Red Shoe Appeal, please visit: www.danceeast.co.uk/redshoe/ (opens in a new window), or contact Assis Carreiro on 01473 295238 or by email assis@danceeast.co.uk.