ABOUT US
What is the Pierian Centre?
The Pierian Centre started life in 2002 as a self-contained centre for training and self-development.
Since then it has grown into a Conference centre and unique focus for community development. This early phase of evolution and emergence has given way to a period of expansion and integration with the different worlds around it.
The Centre is based in a 5-storey Georgian building in Grade-1 listed Portland Square. Number 27 is lucky to have retained more of its original features than any of its neighbours – and one of the pleasures greeting delegates and visitors is a working environment filled with the aesthetic and spiritual ethos of the Enlightenment.
From the 20ft well in the basement to the conical lantern that crowns the spiralling staircase, the building radiates a deep and productive calm. But what distinguishes the Pierian Centre is that it’s not a museum, frozen in time – it’s a 21st century working building used for practical purposes by people from every walk of life.
Why this name for the Centre?
The name was inspired by these lines from Alexander Pope's Essay on Criticism (1711):
"A little learning is a dangerous thing,
Drink deep or taste not the Pierian Spring."
Pieria is the ancient home of the Muses on Mount Olympus; and the adjective Pierian therefore means of Knowledge or Inspiration. We hope that the Centre provides something of these qualities for all those who visit it.
Who uses The Pierian Centre?
It attracts a wide range of people, from management teams in blue chip companies and organisations working with disadvantaged young people, to musicians, yoga teachers and voice coaches. Our community and arts events play a growing role in the life of the area and the wider city.
These are some of the people offering courses, workshops, training and support at the Centre: Links
