Spectacular aerial dance from Gravity and Levity at the long-awaited reopening of Salisbury Arts Centre. DA7989P05AFTER its closure for nearly two years, Salisbury Arts Centre has reopened its doors. The centre, housed in the Grade II* listed St Edmund's Church, in Bedwin Street, has undergone an extensive capital project, for which it raised more than £4m.

This has enabled essential repair work and a complete refurbishment of the historic building, as well as providing a new-build extension for community-based workshops, hirings and performance studio space.

At a reopening reception on Saturday night, there were cheers as Jill Low, director of the arts centre for the past 11 years, gave an emotional speech, thanking everyone involved for "giving this beautiful place a future".

She said: "We now have a community arts venue for Salisbury and the district that is worthy of the 21st Century and all of you."

Speeches were also made by representatives of Arts Council England (south-west), Heritage Lottery Fund (south-west) and Salisbury district council, including by Councillor Sue Mallory, who made the arts centre her fundraising appeal during her mayoral year, 2002-3.

Guests were then given a spectacular aerial dance display by performers of the company Gravity and Levity, using the height of the building to its full capacity, before a specially commissioned fanfare was played.

This had been composed by Downton musician and teacher Sarah Collins and was performed by members of Salisbury Brass Ensemble and Olu Taiwo and his drummers.

A full programme of events at the arts centre will take place in the autumn.

Meanwhile, the centre is being fully used during the Salisbury International Arts Festival, which gets under way tomorrow, and this will be followed by a busy schedule of summer workshops. Join in the family fun at the festival's opening night tomorrow.