NEWS • 3 August 2026 • Source: Sinfonia Smith Square
Sinfonia Smith Square has secured a £200,000 grant from the Wolfson Foundation for the restoration of its Grade I listed Westminster home. The award supports Doors Open: Transforming Lives Through Music, the most substantial redevelopment of Smith Square Hall since it became a concert venue in 1969.
The project is intended both to conserve the historic building and to widen its practical use. Plans include converting the crypt into a dedicated learning space for schools, community music and creative workshops, alongside improved rehearsal facilities for Sinfonia Smith Square’s orchestral Fellowship. That programme has supported more than 700 early-career musicians since 2002.
The restoration also aims to remove the Hall from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register and make the venue more accessible to audiences and performers. Construction is expected to begin late in 2027, with reopening planned for 2029. Sinfonia Smith Square expects the renewed Hall to receive more than 90,000 visitors each year while expanding its performance, training and community activity.
