The Lowry's Royal Visit
Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh will formally open The Lowry, The National Landmark Millennium Project for the Arts on Thursday 12th October.
The Queen will tour the building, meet representatives of various organisations associated with The Lowry and unveil a commemorative plaque in the Quays Theatre before luncheon in the Compass Room.
The Lowry’s Chief Executive, Stephen Hetherington commented, “There is no higher commendation that could be accorded to The Lowry that would recognise its status as a project of national significance.”
During her tour, The Queen will meet members of the design and construction team of The Lowry and see a secondary school workshop of Hamlet taking place on stage with Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Her Majesty will visit the galleries to see current exhibitions ‘Lowry’s Places’ and ‘Salford Revisited’. Children who participated in the ‘Ordsall A-Z’ exhibition will also meet The Queen in the galleries. Fifteen-year old Stacey Hanson, who shares LS Lowry’s birthday, will present The Queen with a posy.
The Queen will then go on the Quays Theatre stage and make a short speech to invited guests. The Lowry’s chairman Felicity Goodey will invite The Queen to formally open The Lowry by revealing a commemorative image on stainless steel created by artist Neil Woodall.
On behalf of the staff and professional performers at The Lowry, Karina Foxworth-Jones will present The Queen with the Lowry Press publication ‘Making The Lowry’. Karina is a partially sighted actress starring in Feelgood Theatre’s production of Crystal Clear, showing at The Lowry this week.
As Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh leave The Lowry, they will walk about the Plaza. A band of young musicians from Salford schools will play whilst they meet local school-children and members of the public. The Queen and The Duke will see the mosaic designs forming part of a focus trail between The Lowry and the Imperial War Museum - North. This Millennium Mosaic Project is the result of a partnership between the Salford and Trafford Education Action Zone.
The Lowry will be closed all morning on Thursday 12th October, with the Galleries and Tower Café re-opening at 12.30pm. The Lyric Theatre is open for Birmingham Repertory’s matinee performance of Hamlet at 1.30pm. The rest of the building, including ArtWorks, the interactive experience, opens at 2.30pm.
The Steven Saunders restaurant will re-open for pre-theatre suppers at 5pm. In The Lowry’s theatres this week are Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s productions of Hamlet & Twelfth Night and Feelgood Theatre’s production of Crystal Clear from Thursday. For more information and tickets, please call the Box Office on 0161 876 2000.
The Lowry opened to the public on 28th April 2000 and has since welcomed over 450,000 visitors through its doors.
The Lowry attracted £68.9 million of capital funding from the National Lottery - £44.6 million from The Arts Council of England, £15.65 million from The Millennium Commission and £8.65 million from The Heritage Lottery Fund. The Lowry is also supported by The European Regional Development Fund, English Partnerships, North West Water, the City of Salford, Salford University and the former Trafford Park Development Corporation. EDS are a Founder Partner of The Lowry.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Photographers, radio and TV crews are invited to attend The Queen’s arrival at The Lowry at 11.20am and her departure at 2.20pm. Please confirm attendance with Michelle Bowey, Media Relations Manager at The Lowry on 0161 876 2037. NB. Her Majesty The Queen will meet local school-children on the Plaza as she leaves The Lowry.
The Royal Rota will cover all the proceedings inside The Lowry during the day. Further details are available from Eileen Jones at the COI on Telephone 0161 952 4501. Posted on Monday, 09 October 2000 under Press General Press