The Space first opened its doors as a theatre in 1996. Think John Major. Think unrecognisably low house prices. Think Spice Girls. A long time ago. Since that time we have become a valued venue for audiences, a vital incubator for emerging artists and a crucial creative lifeline for our local community. Put simply, our Grade II listed building is in constant use which in turn means constant maintenance.
Well, we have some wonderful news. For the past two years we have been fundraising to replace our house lights system. These are the lights that allow audiences to find their seats safely and much needed rehearsals to continue on into the evening. We are beyond thrilled to announce that we have reached our target and the work is starting this week! Our new lights are going to be more environmentally friendly, cheaper to run and more flexible to our needs. This means we can conserve energy and save money which we can channel back into managing our 12-month theatre programme, in-house company, artist development opportunities and participatory theatre project
It is no understatement to say that this would simply not have been possible were it not for the artists, audiences and our local community who have rallied around us donating their time and money to our campaign. We are a small team here at the Space meaning our theatre relies on the support of volunteers. From quiz nights to a Christmas cabaret, raffles to sponsored walks, we have been overwhelmed by people’s generosity, dedication and undefeatable attitude and are so grateful that we know so many wonderful artists and audiences who share a love of this building and the theatre we support. Special thank you goes to our Event Management Committee for their tireless fundraising efforts, the artists who have performed at our fundraisers out of the goodness of their heart and the Theatres Trust for their grant which provided a real boost when we needed it most.
So whether you have donated money, bought a raffle ticket, spread the word about our efforts or simply encouraged us to keep going we thank you all, sincerely and deeply.
We’re going to hold an informal ‘switching on’ ceremony on Thursday 29th April at 6pm, please do feel free to join us!