New managers in at the Public

Controversial Black Country arts centre The Public has been officially handed over to its new managers.

Sandwell Arts Trust, a subsidiary of Sandwell Leisure Trust, was given approval by councillors at a meeting behind closed doors last night to run the £67million venue.

The gallery at the centre in New Street, West Bromwich, will finally open this weekend - more than a year behind schedule.

An extraordinary meeting of Sandwell Council's cabinet met last night to look at future management and included a discussion of running costs.

Regeneration chief, Councillor Bob Badham, said: "We have set up the arts trust as a subsidiary company of Sandwell Leisure Trust to run The Public. The meeting was to formalise that agreement."

Bosses at the centre have unveiled the programme of events for the Bank Holiday launch event "Walk into a World of Art."

A number of exhibitions will be on show at the gallery in static rooms alongside the interactive exhibits, which are based on the ramp which leads from the top to bottom of the building.

There will be a Northern Soul exhibition, entitled Soulheaven2 and a selection of photographs of West Bromwich High Street, entitled The Golden Mile.

There is also the Generation – Imagining A Better Place exhibition in the Upper Gallery – focusing on the changing face of West Bromwich over the next 10 years. There will also be a John Bulmer photography show and sculpture from the Frank Cohen Collection.

The film Malcolm X will be showing in the lower gallery, and people can have a photo taken for inclusion in future exhibitions.

There will also be art workshops, Michael Jackson birthday tribute celebrations and children's entertainment including a playbus, bouncy castle, glitter tattoos, a moonwalk race and dancing workshops.

A Michael Jackson tribute show and reggae gig will also be held in the evening.

The interactive gallery will be open to the public for just three days a week following its grand opening on Saturday.

It will be open between 10am and 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to the public with tours for schools and community groups on Wednesday and Thursday. The rest of the time it will be closed.

Interactive exhibits have also been modified to slash tens of thousands of pounds from running costs.

Some of the hi-tech exhibits will not be on show and other artwork will no longer be electronically connected. Under the original plans guests were to be issued with a radio controlled "tag" on entering, which stored images from exhibits to produce an individual artwork at the end of the experience.

The gallery, which is now free, will open to the general public from 10am on Saturday.