£185m Oxford University building opens doors for free

The Schwarzman Centre in Oxford, part of Oxford University, hosted an ‘open day’ to the public on Saturday, April 25, marking the launch of its inaugural cultural programme.

Visitors were invited to enjoy a packed day of free events at the state-of-the-art building, which included concerts, dance performances, talks, and exhibitions.

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John Fulljames, director of the cultural programme at the Schwarzman Centre, said: “I’m delighted to see audiences engaging with such a breadth of work by internationally renowned artists.

“At the Schwarzman Centre, we bring together researchers, artists, and public communities to spark new collaborations that open up and deepen the university’s research and help us explore what it means to be human today.”

Es Devlin and Nico Muhly’s choral installation 360 Vessels (Image: The Schwarzman Centre)

Among the highlights was the world premiere of 360 Vessels, a choral installation by artist Es Devlin and composer Nico Muhly.

Other standout performances included shows by the Scottish Ensemble and ZooNation.

ZooNation performing (Image: The Schwarzman Centre)

The centre also unveiled new art installations by AI artists Refik Anadol and Anna Ridler.

The day’s programme featured work by Oxford-based arts organisations and Oxford University students, alongside talks by university researchers.

Professor Jieun Kiaer offered insights into the cultural backdrop of K Pop Demon Hunters.

Award-winning poet Yomi Ṣode curated a series of live spoken word performances.

Community performances included extracts by Head over Wheels, Justice in Motion, Body Politic YOUTH, and The Cocoa Butter Club.

A bespoke comedy sketch for the centre entitled “What have the humanities ever done for us?”, was written by director Richard Curtis and performed by actor Tim McInnerny.

The Scottish Ensemble performing (Image: The Schwarzman Centre)

The Schwarzman Centre is the result of a £185 million project, funded largely through a donation from Stephen A. Schwarzman, the billionaire CEO of Blackstone Inc.

The centre stands on a site with deep philanthropic and historical roots.

It was formerly home to the Radcliffe Hospital, which operated from 1770 until 2007 before being decommissioned following the opening of the John Radcliffe Hospital.

The site was sold in March 2003.

Archaeological excavations carried out between 2009 and 2010 revealed burial grounds dating back to the Bronze Age and Neolithic period, extending towards University Parks.

Further research in 2013 and 2014 revealed a total of 348 paupers’ graves, dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, beneath the current Blavatnik School of Government.

The cause of death for these graves includes train crash and printing press injuries, as well as a small number of medical teaching cadavers.

The centre now includes information boards in its gardens commemorating the site’s long history.