Great British Theatres Awards
To celebrate our 50th anniversary, we have launched a new awards programme, dedicated to the theatre buildings and spaces where extraordinary performances come to life and communities gather to connect.
While many awards rightly celebrate the talented people who bring theatre and performance to life, the Great British Theatres Awards are about something different: the spaces themselves - the buildings where the magic happens.
Theatres play a vital role in the UK’s cultural life. They are places where stories are shared and creativity flourishes; they bring communities together, support regeneration and placemaking, and contribute significantly to local and national economies.
Find out more about the Great British Theatres Awards and how you can get involved.
Great British Theatres Awards Categories
The Great British Theatres Awards will recognise excellence across 10 open award categories, ranging from awards for particular types of buildings to categories to celebrate how those buildings are used.
- Great New Build - Awarded to a newly built theatre or a new extension to an existing theatre. Open to projects completed in the past 5 years.
- Great Renovation - Awarded to a theatre retrofit or refurbishment project, which has adapted an existing theatre to meet the needs of modern and future audiences and performances. Open to projects completed in the past 5 years.
- Great Amateur Theatre - Awarded to an amateur theatre that’s making great use of its building. Open to amateur theatres that have carried out refurbishment projects in the past 5 years.
- Great Found Space - Awarded to a live performance venue created in a found or repurposed space, rather than a traditional or purpose-built theatre. Open to venues that have opened or been repurposed in the past 5 years.
- Great Community Connection- Awarded to a theatre that is going above and beyond to open its doors and offer a warm welcome to everyone, whether that’s through adaptation to its building, programming or outreach work.
- Great Use of Space - Awarded to a theatre making innovative or unconventional use of a space or spaces in a theatre building. It could be temporary or permanent, on a grand scale or a just a small corner used imaginatively.
- Great Placemaking Partner - Awarded to a local authority that truly values culture and is investing in cultural infrastructure to meaningfully benefit its local community.
- Great Green Theatre - Awarded to a theatre that has put environmental sustainability at the heart of the building, whether through changes to the theatre itself, its operations or its performances.
- Great Public Space - Awarded to a theatre with a space beyond the auditorium that is well-loved and well used by the community or a specific user group.
- Great British Theatres Shining Star - Awarded to an individual or a group of individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to create, save or adapt a theatre building for the community.
In addition to the ten public categories, the panel of expert judges will crown one theatre as the Great British Theatre 2026. This will be awarded to one building that best exemplifies the spirit of the Great British Theatres Awards.
The judges will also present the Great British Theatres Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising exceptional long-term contribution to theatre buildings and cultural infrastructure.
How to enter the Great British Theatres Awards
Public nominations are welcomed and theatre owners, theatre operators, local authorities, architects and theatre consultants are encouraged to nominate a theatre they think deserves recognition in one, or more, of the categories.
Entries will open on Thursday 16 April with a simple application process, consisting of a 500-word statement accompanied by a PDF of supporting materials.
The deadline for applications is 5pm on Thursday 11 June.
Judging the Great British Theatres Awards
The Great British Theatre Awards will be judged by a panel of impartial experts from across the worlds of theatre, architecture, design and sustainability. We’ll be announcing our judging panel in April.
Great British Theatres Awards Ceremony
The inaugural Great British Theatres Awards will take place on Monday 2 November at Central Hall Westminster.
Tickets will go on sales in September when the shortlists are announced.
All shortlisted entrants will be given two free places to attend the Great British Theatres Awards Ceremony with additional tickets available to buy.
Celebrate theatre buildings and connect your brand with their magic
Would your organisation like to become part of something that will continue to celebrate the wonder of theatre?
Consider sponsoring a category of the Great British Theatres Awards to be part of the celebrations and raise your profile amongst key theatre decision-makers.
Contact Karen Phillips, Head of Partnerships and Philanthropy to discuss the opportunities available.