Hundred concerts in five days to launch new arts centre

Kings Place at Battlebridge Basin, King's Cross, is set to open its doors this morning to the sound of 100 metronomes ticking in its glass atrium. The first performance was scheduled for 9.30am and celebrations will continue until midnight on Sunday.

The centre, which is the brainchild of developer Peter Millican, has an office block on top that will make money to support the venture. But the rest of the building is for the arts.

It includes two state-of-the-art concert halls, London's first since the Barbican opened in 1982, and two gallery spaces as well as waterfront bars and cafés.

It was designed by architects Dixon Jones, whose previous work includes the transformation of the Royal Opera House. The London Sinfonietta, The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the London Chamber Music Society are making it their headquarters.

Mr Millican, Kings Place chief executive officer, said: "Corporate buildings should give something back to the city and not be a secure building that doesn't allow people in. That's good for your tenant, the community and London." It was "unbelievable" to be opening after 10 years of planning, he added.

The opening concerts have been chosen to give potential visitors a sense of what they can expect. "Most of the performers in the 100 concerts are performing later in the year as well. It's a bit of a showcase," Mr Millican said. Half the concerts are sold out but some will have tickets available on the door, and people can visit just to see the art on show and have a meal or drink.

After the first five days the regular programme gets under way, with a different mini-festival each week. The first, starting on Monday is a series of events inspired by a journey to Lake Victoria, Uganda, by musicians from the London Sinfonietta and Uganda Dance Academy, composer Nigel Osborne.

The result is a new Sinfonietta commission, Rock Music, by Osborne, which will be presented with drumming workshops, talks, films and a exhibition of work by Randall-Page.

The following week will see modern jazz concerts, talks and workshops with the F-ire collective. Artists involved include Django Bates, Basquiat Strings and the Elysian Quartet. The third festival will focus on Beethoven.