Alastair Upton, Chief Executive at the BluecoatWe are tuning up nicely for the 15th.

We tested the building last weekend with the families and friends of the Bluecoat's staff and all those that worked on the building project. While the kids ran around the garden and the central hub, climbed the furniture and drew in the garden room, the espresso bar poured tea and coffee and served cake while ‘upstairs’ the restaurant bar was humming (my early lunch time favourite is the poached egg with mushrooms on toast).

All the while the arts team continued to hang the show in the gallery. Paul Morrison’s 100 foot wall painting was finished and is stunning while all the other works were taking shape rapidly. They had to be ready for the press day today.

In the evening we tested the performance space for music. The sound was crisp and we haven’t even hung the curtain yet.

Things did go wrong, which was why were testing, but not too much and when it did the Bluecoat 's team were very relaxed but alert about sorting it out including the unscheduled fire alarm test.

3 days to go and we are finding our voice.