HOME

How Theatres Trust's expert advice and grant support helped a new arts centre

HOME is an independent arts centre in Manchester, formed from the merger of former cinema and contemporary visual arts centre Cornerhouse and The Library Theatre Company.

Since opening in 2015, HOME has had a huge impact on the local economy and the wellbeing of the community. Independent research on its financial impact in 2019/20 found that it has added £11.2m to the local economy. A Simetrica and Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport report calculated that through arts engagement HOME had reduced the need for GP visits and mental health support, saving the NHS £1m per year.

Theatres Trust is proud to have played a role in the creation of this significant success story. This began in 2008 when we provided advice to the economic development agency on proposals to relocate The Library Theatre. As plans developed, we supported the planning application for the proposed new build arts centre. We were commissioned to provide detailed advice on the design and operation of the theatre, which was undertaken via an Advisory Review. Many of our proposed amendments to the internal planning of the scheme were incorporated into the final designs, helping make HOME the vibrant success that it is today.

In 2019, HOME was the lead partner in a consortium of Greater Manchester venues, who successfully applied to our Theatre Improvement Scheme in association with the Wolfson Foundation for funding to purchase and share captioning equipment. This collaborative approached has enabled more D/deaf and deafened audiences across Greater Manchester to attend a greater variety of productions and performances.

This case study was produced as part of our Fifty@50 campaign to mark our 50th anniversary in 2026.