Sadler’s Wells’ new purpose-built space is a reflection of the booming popularity of the art form in the capital. But is all this success representative of the country as a whole? And if not, why not?

It’s time for some good news. The narrative in the arts (and everywhere else) in the 2020s is so often one of cuts, closures and belt-tightening. But in one corner of east London, there still flickers a spirit of 2012 (remember the halcyon days of 2012?!). Opposite the London Stadium in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park a string of new cultural venues is coming to life. Students buzz around the London College of Fashion; there’s the V&A East museum and BBC music studios both set to open in 2026; and at the end of the row, just across from Zaha Hadid’s London Aquatics Centre, is the brand new Sadler’s Wells East, a dedicated dance theatre opening its doors in February.

A sister venue to the original Sadler’s Wells theatre in Islington, this is the biggest thing to happen for dance in the capital for a long while, certainly in terms of visibility. More than 20 million people visited the park last year, and millions more will now pass the O’Donnell and Tuomey-designed building’s striking sawtooth roof, the neon sign above its door announcing “You Are Welcome”, hoping to entice them into the beautiful space inside, with its rows of glowing bulbs hanging above the bar, six studios upstairs and a 550-seat auditorium.