The plans are believed to also include a visual arts gallery and several general purpose rooms for the use by the community.

BBC: The Scala first opened more than a century ago

It could put Manchester City Art Gallery on the visual arts map next year.

BBC: Art-lovers stoke gallery hopes

Hit up our gallery for the visual scoop.

ENGADGET: MEDL Technology's 'The Panel' hands-on Hands-on

The six groups with reduced funding are Southampton's Turner Sims Concert Hall, John Hansard Gallery and Nuffield Theatre, The Anvil in Basingstoke, Southampton-based Art Asia and the Aspex Visual Arts Trust, based in Portsmouth.

BBC: Southampton City Council gets ?300,000 arts funding