On Saturday 30th January, the Storey Creative Industries Centre on Meeting House Lane – the old Storey Institute – officially opens its doors to the public after a three-year refurbishment process. The day-long launch event is aimed at celebrating Lancaster’s creative past, present and future.   Building on Sir Thomas Storey’s original vision, the event will showcase the wealth of creative entrepreneurs currently resident in The Storey and how the building’s new identity will contribute to Lancaster’s emerging role as a regional hub for creativity and innovation.

Neil Simpson, manager of The Storey, is delighted to be instrumental in this chapter of such an enduring story: “Thomas Storey was a visionary.  He saw the future lay in equipping people with creative skills to cope with a changing economic landscape.  And this notion is still absolutely true; all that has changed are the skills.  So, now we have everyone from web-designers and script-writers through to film-makers and music producers working here every day.”

The launch event will start at 10.00am and each of the public spaces in the building will be used to present the resident’s specialisms and the continuing vision, featuring a creative industries timeline, film and image loops, presentations and live music in the evening.  Elsewhere in the building, The Storey Gallery will be launching their new exhibition, ‘What Happens If…?’, and NICE Bar & Restaurant will be launching their new spring menu with special offers and free tasters throughout the day.