In England, a former Ikea store will be converted into one of the world's largest cultural centers

A seven-story building that housed an IKEA store in the British city of Coventry until February 2020 will become one of the world’s largest cultural centers at 53,904 square meters. It could display a vast number of works inside: the city council, voting in favor of plans to redevelop the building, said the latter could hold about 8,000 works from the city’s collections collection, so as to free up space in its two warehouses now full; it could also display more than 8,500 works from the British Council ’s collection and works from the local Herbert Art Gallery and Museum and the Coventry Transport Museum that are currently in storage at the White Friars’ Monastery, which could thus be freed up for restoration.

It is not known at what amount the council purchased the building, but it will spend about $1.8 million to turn it into a cultural and exhibition center. According to the BBC, it is expected to open in August 2023: permits to change the use of the building are expected to be approved by the end of 2021, and construction will start in May 2022.

“This proposal is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create something the citizens of Coventry can be proud of; a center of national and international excellence that will be a lasting legacy. This could be a really positive step for the city,” said David Welsh, Coventry’s Councillor for Culture and the Arts.

Darren Henley, chief executive of the Arts Council, added that the new facility will also enable the city to support living artists, create more opportunities for students, and, most importantly, ensure that these works are reached by more people across the country.

Pictured is the former IKEA store in Coventry. Photo Getty Images

In England, a former Ikea store will be converted into one of the world's largest cultural centers

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