Image: Peter Davies, mayor of Doncaster (centre) at the topping out ceremony

A topping out ceremony has been held for a new £20m performance venue in Doncaster.

When complete, the centre will house a wide range of spaces and facilities that include a 620-seat theatre kitted out to accommodate touring shows and a 200-seat or 400 standing flexible space for live music and smaller productions.

There will also be modern dance and drama studios; various educational and rehearsal spaces that will double up as meeting and conference rooms; a light and spacious foyer area and a café bar with views out onto a public square.

The venue, designed by specialist theatre architects, Arts Team RHWL, is set to become a regional hub for arts and culture in South Yorkshire and beyond.

VINCI Construction UK is now halfway through a two-year construction contract which started in September 2011.

The venue which is scheduled to be completed in early 2013 and forms an important part of the new £300m Civic and Cultural Quarter (CCQ) planned for Doncaster. The CCQ project is supported financially by the European Union, as part of the European Regional Development Fund's support for the region's economic development through the Yorkshire and Humber ERDF Programme.

Funding for the arts venue project has come from Arts Council England.

Cluny Macpherson, regional director, Arts Council England, said: "Doncaster people have the right to make and see art of the very highest standard, just as much as anyone in Leeds or London or Paris or New York.

"I'm delighted the Arts Council has invested in this building and can't wait to come back next year and be inspired by what happens inside."