Great British Theatres Awards Finalists

We are delighted to announce the category finalists for the inaugural Great British Theatres Awards.

Great New Build

Awarded to a newly built theatre or a new extension to an existing theatre within the past five years.

The Great New Build finalists showed how bold new architecture can be rooted in place, accessible to everyone and guided by environmental responsibility. From flexible new auditoria to buildings inspired by historic playhouses, the finalists demonstrated how a new physical space can successfully nurture artists, regenerate its surroundings, and become a civic destination.

Finalists:

  • @sohoplace, London
  • BEAM, Hertford
  • Brixton House, London
  • The Nest, Chichester Festival Theatre
  • Shakespeare North, Prescot

Great Renovation

Awarded to theatre retrofit or refurbishment project, completed within the past five years, which has adapted an existing theatre to meet the needs of modern and future audiences and performances.

These finalists showed how bold new architecture can be rooted in place, accessible to everyone and guided by environmental responsibility. From flexible new auditoria to buildings inspired by historic playhouses, the Great Renovation finalists demonstrated how a new physical space can successfully nurture artists, regenerate its surroundings, and become a civic destination.

Finalists:

  • The Arts Theatre, Cambridge
  • Bradford Live, Bradford
  • Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
  • The Granville Theatre, Ramsgate

Great Amateur Theatre

Awarded to an amateur theatre that’s making great use of its building and has carried out a refurbishment project in the past 5 years.

From replacing leaking roofs and insulating draughty buildings to installing hearing loops, flexible wheelchair seating and captioning facilities, the Great Amateur Theatre finalists showed how amateur theatres can play an outsized role in connecting their communities. They represent the breadth of extraordinary ambition showed by volunteer-led theatres.

Finalists:

  • The Questors Theatre, London
  • Seaford Little Theatre, East Sussex
  • Sherborne Studio Theatre, Dorset
  • The Swan, Yeovil

Great Found Space

Awarded to a live performance venue created in a found or repurposed space, rather than a traditional or purpose-built theatre opening or repurposed within the past 5 years.

Previously a former restaurant, a pottery shed, a redundant church, a historic chapel, and an old greengrocer, the Great Found Space finalists have found a new life as thriving theatres that support artists and communities in coming together, breathing new life into derelict spaces.

Finalists:

  • The Dipping House, Stoke-on-Trent
  • Front Room Theatre, Weston-super-Mare
  • The Horton, Epsom
  • Lower Marsh Arts Club (formerly The Glitch), London
  • Nyth, Bangor

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.

From school meals and free tickets to BSL cafés and dementia programmes, the Great Community Connection finalists show the wide-ranging ways that theatres can become places of connection and belonging for their community. They have demonstrated impactful and genuine relationships with people who might otherwise feel excluded from cultural life.

Finalists:

  • Cast, Doncaster
  • Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
  • Derby Theatre, Derby
  • Eden Court, Inverness
  • Hoxton Hall, London
  • Polka Children’s Theatre, London
  • The Theatre Chipping Norton
  • Wolverhampton Grand, Wolverhampton

Great Use of Space

Awarded to a theatre making innovative or unconventional use of a space or spaces in a theatre building.

The Great Use of Space finalists brought to life overlooked corners of their theatre, from a terrace growing natural costume dyes to dance and beatboxing spilling onto staircases, a scene dock became festival stages, and an auditorium transformed into television studios and sporting arena.

Finalists:

  • Alexandra Palace, London – for its innovative use of its auditorium
  • Battersea Arts Centre, London – for its building takeovers
  • National Theatre, London - for the Natural Dye and Wellbeing Garden
  • Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth - for Summer in the Scene Dock

Great Placemaking Partner

Awarded to a local authority that truly values culture and is investing in cultural infrastructure to meaningfully benefit its local community.

Through capital investment, policy, partnerships and the creative use of vacant spaces, the Great Placemaking Partner finalists are regenerating town centres, strengthening local economies and building civic pride through their partnership and support of local theatres.

Finalists:

  • Glasgow City Council
  • Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council
  • Lambeth Council
  • London Borough of Harrow

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.

The Great Green Theatre finalists combined sustainable and energy-saving adaptations to their buildings along with carbon literacy training, sustainable production practices and environmental initiatives involving their artists, audiences and communities.

Finalists:

  • Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester
  • Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre, Dundee
  • New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme
  • Nottingham Playhouse

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.

Having redefined what a theatre’s public spaces can be, the Great Public Space finalists’ cafés, gardens, play areas and libraries provide welcoming places to work, play, meet others or simply keep warm, often without visitors needing to buy a ticket.

Finalists:

  • Gosforth Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne – for its café
  • Live Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne – for its community garden
  • Polka Children’s Theatre, London – for the Y C Chan Playden
  • Storyhouse, Chester – for its social spaces

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.

Whether through campaigning or leadership, these finalists have worked tirelessly to secure the futures of their local theatres. They represent people who know the importance of thriving theatres to the vitality and wellbeing of communities.

Shortlist:

  • The Amulet Centre Limited
  • Leith Theatre Trust
  • Daniel Shrimpton, Joseph Rowntree Theatre
  • Graham Whitlock, Manor Pavilion Theatre

 

Congratulations to all the finalists. To join us for an evening of celebration, book your tickets for the Great British Theatres Awards ceremony here.