A Caribbean orchestra has claimed it is being booted out of its Birmingham base by "middle class arty types".
The Maestro Steel Orchestra was set up at the Midlands Arts Centre (Mac) in Cannon Hill Park in 1974 as one of its main cultural performers.
As the band was originally made up of Afro-Caribbean boys from local children's homes, it was considered to be a shining example of the founding principles of the Mac which aimed to engage deprived communities in Birmingham's inner cities.
Norman Stewart, the leader of the band, said work carried out to educate deprived youngsters on Caribbean music was being squeezed out as the Mac concentrates more on "arty plays and jewellery weekends".
But officials at the Mac insisted no decision had been made on the future of a variety of groups at the centre as it prepares to reinvent itself with a £13.6 million revamp.
But Mr Stewart, who has worked at the Mac since 1980, said: "We were told last June that there was a 60 per cent chance that we could stay at the Mac. However, when I checked again in October I was told that we would definitely not be given space on the site once the refurbishment had been completed.
"There has been a steel band at the Mac for over 30 years and it has provided a valuable educational tool for youngsters in deprived communities in Birmingham.
"We are also the only complete orchestra. There are many small bands of five or six members who go out gigging. But we teach people how to make instruments, how to tune them and how to play them.
"The whole ethos of the Mac has changed. It used to be about engaging with deprived minority communities, but now it is about arty plays and jewellery weekends. It has become increasingly middle class in recent years, particularly since they installed the bar."
The group is one of many at the Mac who have been told that they will have to find alternative temporary accommodation when the 18-month refurbishment begins next month.
A spokeswoman from the Mac said the orchestra was using one of the rooms for storage and had been told, along with other groups, it would have to find an alternative site while the building works were in progress. No group had been told it will have to leave the centre, she said.
Dorothy Wilson, director at Mac, added: "Mac will continue to have a range of music studios, all fully refurbished. Our programme plans include the continued offering of a range of participatory music programmes, classes and workshops.
"We will continue to include steel pan activities within the mix of musical forms offered. We will continue to have associate relationships with a range of artistes and producers."
The development will see the construction of a new three-storey complex which will connect all the existing buildings and feature a new performing arts studio, an improved reception and ticket office, a new media studio and expanded exhibition spaces and meeting rooms.
