The English National Opera (ENO) has named five cities as possible sites for its relocation – including Nottingham.
The search for a new home comes after the opera company was told by Arts Council England to relocate its HQ from London or lose its public funding.
It comes as the government aims to spread more money outside of the capital.
On the shortlist are Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, and Nottingham. This will be shortened to three cities by the end of May, with a decision expected by the end of the year.
Speaking to The Guardian, ENO CEO Stuart Murphy said Liverpool and Manchester were really strong contenders but that Bristol, Birmingham and Nottingham were also in the running.
In April a joint statement from Arts Council England and the ENO said that, following development work by the ENO, Arts Council England had set a budget of up to £24 million investment for 2024-26 to support ENO’s phased transition to a new artistic and business model with a primary base out of London, whilst continuing to own, manage and put on work at the London Coliseum.
