Nottingham Contemporary can host conferences, lectures, award ceremonies, receptions and parties for up to 300 guests standing. The art centre sits at Weekday Cross in central Nottingham and rents out its largest hall, two studios, a meeting room and its café bar, with technical support and catering on offer.
Seminars and company events
The Space is the largest room. Its walls are exposed concrete, and seating, lighting and sound can be rearranged to suit a theatre, conference, performance, cinema screening or party. It seats 120 people on tiered theatre-style seating and holds up to 300 standing. Professional video and audio systems are built in, which suits conferences and award ceremonies.
The Meeting Room is a daylit room with floor-to-ceiling windows along one side and a plasma screen for presentations. It takes up to 20 people. Studio 2 is a workshop and training room with audio-visual facilities. It seats about 24 around one table or several group tables, and up to 35 in theatre layout. Studio 1, on the gallery level, is newly available for hire and suits workshops, talks and creative sessions for up to 60 people. It can be paired with a gallery tour.
Weddings and receptions
The hire page does not offer wedding packages. It does describe receptions, parties and celebrations for clients, staff and partners, and the centre has run private parties in The Space. Blend at Contemporary, the café and fully licensed bar, is available for private parties and networking events for up to 200 people. It has large windows that open onto an outdoor terrace, and the lighting can be lowered in the evening.
Rooms and capacities
The Space: 120 seated in theatre layout, 300 standing. Blend at Contemporary: up to 200. Studio 1: up to 60. Studio 2: about 24 at tables, 35 in theatre layout. Meeting Room: up to 20. The Space can be hired together with Blend, which sits on the same level, for larger events.
Catering
The centre advertises a full range of technical support and catering. For Christmas parties, groups can take exclusive use of the Blend café space by choosing a date and sending a guest list.
History and setting
The building won a RIBA award and is described on the site as the first masterpiece of British architecture of the twenty-first century, a quotation from the writer Owen Hatherley. It is also a working gallery with a public exhibition programme and free entry, so events share the building with visitors. Exhibitions are closed on Mondays.
Getting there
The address is Weekday Cross, Nottingham NG1 2GB. The centre is a few minutes from the train station, and the main tram and bus routes run past the building. Contact the hire team by phone or email to book a tour of the spaces.
