Inside one of the newly created spaces. © Richard Bryant

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham was joined by his mum in Liverpool at the weekend to cut the ribbon of the redeveloped Bluecoat arts centre.

Following a £12.5m refit, the city’s centre for contemporary art hosted a huge celebratory opening weekend on Saturday March 15 and Sunday 16.

Its opening programme of events includes the return of Yoko Ono to the city, a festival of the best new live art featuring Franko B, plus literary and music events with big-name musicians and authors.

“The reopening of the Bluecoat is a defining moment in Liverpool’s Year as Capital of Culture,” said the Secretary of State for Culture. “There is no place I know that has the breadth of creative activity - from the very start with artists studios - to the end, with galleries and shops and all points in between."

“I’m pleased that one of the very material legacies of ’08 will be an organisation that recognises the importance of creativity in everyone’s lives.”

Sin Eaters, Hew Locke. Part of the opening exhibition, Now Then. © Alex Wolkowicz

The Bluecoat, closed since 2005, is housed in a Grade I listed building dating back to 1717. The refurbishment project has seen four new gallery spaces created and a 200-seat auditorium for performances built. The new spaces were constructed inside a wing of the building that was previously unused and was gutted by fire during the Second World War.

Also inside the wing are 13 new artist studios and 13 creative industry studios, a restaurant, café and six shops.

The first exhibition, Now Then, is a group show of works by artists including Alec Finlay, Janet Hodgson, Hew Locke, Paul Morrison and Yoko Ono. Yoko will come in person in April to perform live at the Bluecoat.

“The opening of the Bluecoat is the end of a seven year journey, but only the start for us fulfilling our dreams for the building,” said Alastair Upton, Chief Executive of Bluecoat. “To achieve even what we have already, has taken considerable support, guidance even at times critical comment from our funding partners and the Arts Council has led in this process.”

The Bluecoat will go on to play a key part in the Liverpool Biennial and Arabic Arts Festival later in 2008.