Following the £1.92m investment Brighten The Corners secured to transform The Baths in Ipswich, the team is now hosting an event to share their plans with the local community. Newly-appointed Director of Engagement and Skills, Marcus Harris-Noble explains more
Brighten The Corners is hosting a public community event next month to share plans for a £1.92 million regeneration project that will transform The Baths into a cutting-edge Creative Digital Skills Lab for the region. Local businesses, community groups, creative entrepreneurs, freelancers, artists, and anyone who thinks they might use the space are invited to attend. Brighten The Corners – a not-for-profit youth-focussed live music organisation – will be discussing existing plans for The Baths and are encouraging attendees to network and share their thoughts on shaping the Skills Hub offering when the venue re-opens in Spring 2027.
The evening will be hosted by Marcus Harris-Noble, who has recently been appointed as Brighten The Corners’ Director of Engagement and Skills and will be managing The Baths regeneration project. Ipswich born and raised, Marcus got his start as a teenage peer mentor with media charity CSV at Ipswich Community Radio and has since worked supporting individuals, communities and organisations across a range of projects and programmes linked to education, culture, the creative industries and economic development in the UK and abroad.
Marcus previously led on the delivery of the Croydon Creative Enterprise Zone programme and served as a core member of the team who successfully developed Croydon’s bid to become the 2023 London Borough of Culture.
Building on his experience of launching the Croydon Creative Digital Lab in South London, Marcus is passionate about establishing a vibrant hub in the heart of Ipswich. He said; “By revitalising this iconic space, we’re securing a much-needed live music venue and building a sustainable future for creative learning in the town, ensuring The Baths becomes a landmark venue for generations to come.
“Our public event is a chance to come together, share our vision for The Baths, and hear directly from local people. We’re keen to hear ideas on how the space could be used, so we can work with other service providers to shape an offer that meets the needs of our community.”
Originally serving as a community swimming baths, The Baths has evolved over the years, transitioning into a social club, gym, and eventually a pop-up music venue in 2021, when Brighten The Corners took over the venue. The regeneration project is set to breathe new life into the much-loved Ipswich landmark.
The currently unused first-floor space at The Baths will be transformed into a Creative Digital Skills Lab, which will include video production, live recording, and podcast facilities. A state-of-the-art Extended Reality (XR) studio will also provide valuable hands-on experience with immersive digital technologies, nurturing young talent and supporting creative industry professionals.
Plans include much-needed upgrades to the existing ground-floor music venue, creating an even stronger platform for local and touring artists and boosting the town’s night-time economy. A full range of workshops, skills development and volunteering opportunities will be available to access when the regeneration project is complete, including XR design and film making, post-production and editing, audio recording and digital photography.
The all, Baths Regeneration Community Conversation event will take place on Tuesday 10th February 2026 between 6.30pm and 8.30pm at The Church on St Stephen’s Lane in Ipswich. Free to attend and open to all. Spaces are limited and can be booked in advance through the Brighten The Corners website. Construction work is set to begin in late Spring 2026, with doors due to open in early Spring 2027. To keep up to date with The Baths progress and news, visit: brightenthecorners.co.uk
Featured image of Marcus Harris-Noble, Brighten The Corners’ newly appointed Director of Engagement and Skills, outside The Baths, by John Ferguson
Leave a Reply