A MilleNnium community arts centre is planned for Keighley.

Keighley College is seeking funding from the town's Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) for its ambitious 'arts factory'.

The contemporary art gallery and performance space would be based in the college's Harold Town complex off Dalton Lane. It would be open to local community organisations, schools and arts groups, as well as attracting prestigious national exhibitions.

Project manager John Bewick, the college's head of creative studies, says the arts factory will be a 'blockbuster' opportunity for the town.

He adds: "This is Keighley's Millennium Project. It will focus on the here and now - images of the future."

The single-storey arts centre, in a former Keighley Lifts office block, would offer first-class gallery space surrounding a performance area. An adjoining room would be used for performances, rehearsals and workshops, and a smaller room could become a recording studio.

The Factory would also provide a home for Partnership Theatre, an established community theatre group run by Keighley actress Susannah Daley and her mother Mollie.

Mr Bewick hopes that putting an arts centre within Keighley's former industrial heartland will encourage firms to move into nearby empty buildings.

He says support has already been expressed for the Factory by local artists, voluntary groups and businesses.

College bosses are seeking at least £100,000 of public cash and expect to plough in a substantial amount from their own funds.

They presented the initial plans to the Single Regeneration Budget partnership board last week and will make an official bid for cash next month.

SRB chairman Andy Mudd says a town the size of Keighley should have such a public exhibition space.

"This is a sign of a thriving town, a town that believes in itself and has a future," he points out.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.