Prestigious Forward Award for Symphony Hall

Symphony Hall is delighted to be awarded Birmingham Civic Society’s prestigious Forward Prize for its significant contribution to life in Birmingham.

The prize, which has been awarded on only 23 previous occasions, recognises the breadth of Symphony Hall’s programme combined with its proactive engagement with the local community. This award marks the beginning of a year of celebration in the run up to Symphony Hall’s 21st Anniversary, which culminates in a festival running from January to June 2012.

David Clarke, chairman of the Birmingham Civic Society, commented that, “the organisation has made an incredible contribution over the past 20 years, encouraging the participation of tens of thousands of young people and running a programme of events that has something for everyone in the city without ever compromising on excellence.”

Meanwhile, Town Hall & Symphony Hall’s Director, Andrew Jowett said, “It is a great honour to receive this award from the Birmingham Civic Society which recognises everything that Symphony Hall stands for. Even before it opened, it was clear that Symphony Hall would be a symbol of the city’s regeneration and cultural renaissance. Twenty years on, I remain immensely proud that the building which, was received with overwhelming critical, artistic and public acclaim at its opening, is still ranked at the top of the world’s international concert halls and is cherished by the people of Birmingham. Our aim is to offer an exciting and varied programme of events to welcome everyone, to provide a platform for local, national and international performance and to offer inspiring community engagement projects for people of all ages, particularly those in our immediate neighbourhood of Ladywood.”

The Forward Prize plaque will be presented to Symphony Hall today by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham.