English National Ballet and the Royal College of Music have exchanged contracts for the sale of Markova House, the current headquarters for English National Ballet in Jay Mews SW7.
The completion of the sale is expected to occur in Autumn 2018 in line with English National Ballet’s planned move with English National Ballet School to London City Island, announced earlier this year.
Markova House, with its close proximity to the Royal College of Music, will enable the College to increase its practice rooms (by up to 40) as well as providing two large orchestral and opera rehearsal spaces. The Royal College of Music will use much of Markova House’s 16,000 square feet to provide a new home for its research department, offering a dedicated environment for work that includes research into the impact of music on health.
By repositioning many of the Royal College of Music’s academic and administrative staff within the College’s significantly enlarged estate, the Blomfield Building will be returned to the purpose of music-making, providing a unique facility for the Royal College of Music students.
Colin Lawson, Royal College of Music’s Director, said, “the acquisition of Markova House is a once in a generation opportunity for the Royal College of Music to significantly expand its offer to future students as well as the general public, underpinning the vision that access to high-quality music-making should be available to all.
"Together with the planned development of the Royal College of Music’s Blomfield Building, the acquisition of Markova House will contribute to a state-of-the-art creative infrastructure across both sites, supporting and sustaining the Royal College of Music as a world-leader in music education for generations to come.”
The new facility will include eight large studios for rehearsals and teaching including a theatre-sized studio space for the development and rehearsal of productions and creation of new commissions and open spaces that will give the public access to parts of English National Ballet and English National Ballet School’s archives and encourage engagement with local communities.
English National Ballet Executive Director Caroline Thomson said, “leaving Jay Mews is a big step for us, and we have so enjoyed being a part of the ‘Albertopolis’ cultural estate. We are delighted to have exchanged contracts with the Royal College of Music, ensuring that Markova House remains in the family of arts and culture organisations.”