As construction on Antigua and Barbuda’s state-of-the-art Performing Arts Centre enters its closing major phase, top government officials have confirmed the landmark venue remains scheduled to open to the public by the end of September. The confirmation came during an official on-site inspection led by Social and Urban Transformation Minister Rawdon Turner, who outlined the project’s current progress and upcoming milestones for observers.
Designed to hold 875 audience members, the facility will play a central role in Antigua and Barbuda’s hosting of the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), serving as the venue for the gathering’s opening ceremony in November. After the conclusion of the international summit, the center will operate as a permanent hub for the country’s growing creative and performing arts sector.
Minister Turner reaffirmed the government’s confidence in meeting the September deadline, noting that balcony seating installation – the final major construction task – is on track to be finished within just three weeks. Once this phase wraps up, construction teams will shift focus to fitting out the building’s interior, including mounting side panels, installing finished ceilings, and completing other decorative and functional internal work. Turner added that most of these materials have already been prefabricated and are ready for deployment, streamlining the next phase of work.
E.P. Chet Greene, Foreign Affairs Minister and Chairman of the National Task Force for CHOGM 2026, joined the inspection tour and commended the high construction quality of the center. He specifically highlighted the critical contributions of local workers to the project’s development, noting their skill and dedication have kept the build on schedule.
Fully funded by taxpayer dollars, the new center embodies the Antigua and Barbuda government’s long-term commitment to growing the performing arts community while expanding the country’s range of tourism attractions, Greene explained. He also pointed to the country’s proven track record of hosting large-scale international events, including the 2024 Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States and the 2025 Organization of American States General Assembly, expressing full confidence that the 2026 CHOGM will match these successful outcomes.
While Greene acknowledged that project financing continues to be a top priority and ongoing challenge for the planning team, he noted that glowing feedback from Commonwealth officials and key stakeholders has significantly boosted confidence in the country’s preparation efforts. “I’m satisfied that we have never failed as a country,” Greene stated, reinforcing the government’s resolve to deliver a world-class event and a landmark cultural facility.