'£80k for 80 Years'
Organised by Cheltenham PlayhouseEssential fundraising campaign to celebrate 80 years of theatre at the Cheltenham Playhouse (1945-2025) and raise £80k to help secure the theatre and its future in both the short & long term.
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'£80k for 80 Years' Fundraiser
This year the Cheltenham Playhouse celebrates its 80th year. An amazing achievement for a space that receives no fixed funding. We would love nothing more than to celebrate another 80 years.
However this is a turbulent time in the arts & the pressure is on to keep our heads above water. The time is now that we must stress our need to survive, so that for another 80 years we can thrive as a centre for the arts in this wonderful community.
We have a master plan for long-term, but to do that we need to raise funds quickly in the short-term. We are aiming to raise £80k & beyond. Every single penny will go towards ensuring this vibrant, important theatre cannot only celebrate its past, but plan for its future.
About the Cheltenham Playhouse
The Cheltenham Playhouse is a unique and intimate 186-seat theatre, with stunning Regency architecture and a wide range of performances that often leave visitors with a remarkable experience.
As the Playhouse is also one of the very few independent venues in the county, we pride ourselves on being a down-to-earth and welcoming space to all. Whether you are a regular theatre enthusiast or trying your first live performance, the Cheltenham Playhouse is here for you.
Historically, the theatre has been a hidden gem in the town. In recent years, the Playhouse has flourished and is rapidly becoming one of the most popular venues in the area. We're making big waves across the county with hundreds of performances each year and a forecast of over 50,000 annual visitors. Our events include Music, Drama, Film, Comedy, Musicals, Pantomime, workshops and more!
To see our current upcoming events please visit our website.
Some of our recent feedback from visitors:
In almost fifty years of living in Cheltenham and surrounding areas, I have never visited the Playhouse before and I now have one question for myself "Why not"? Oh how I've missed out over the years...Right from the moment we walked through your doors, the experience was magical, your front of house staff were warm and welcoming, the facilities were amazing and the performance...Rest assured we will now become frequent visitors to Playhouse and have already started telling family and friends.
The Playhouse offers more variety of shows than any other venue in Cheltenham...Thank you for making the Playhouse one of the best live entertainment venues in Cheltenham and at prices one can afford....Thank you for everything you are doing.
An amazing theatre! We've seen many productions there and have loved every show.
The Playhouse has been a theatre since 1945, however, with the oldest parts of the building dating back to 1806, the Playhouse also has a fascinating heritage. The building has also been a salts laboratory, a swimming bath (which still exists under the auditorium, see below!), slipper baths, medical spa, a steam mill and bakery, an indoor cycling school, and much more!
To learn more about our remarkable history please visit our dedicated history website.
How Can I Help?
- Donate to this fundraiser
- Purchase tickets for our shows
- Business sponsorship
- Legacy donations
- Donate at one of our card/cash donation points around the venue
- Donate to a specific cause
- Spread around the word about our theatre and this fundraiser, e.g. sharing on social media
- Volunteer. For more info email involved@cheltplayhouse.org.uk
- Fundraise for us, e.g. put on your own show, host a social event in our bar, run a raffle. You can discuss your ideas with us here: fundraising@cheltplayhouse.org.uk
A massive thank you to the companies who have helped us so far (Alphabetical):
Flamingo Palace Amateur Theatre Group
Matt Nolan Creative
Ontic Engineering & Manufacturing
Playhouse Company
Promenade Productions
Robin A Smith with Chapel Arts
Theatre Studio
If you wish to read our Frequently Asked Questions, you can find them here.
If you are a client or company that would like to discuss pledging support to us either with this campaign or more widely please email us at fundraising@cheltplayhouse.org.uk
Thank you for taking the time to read about our fundraiser, as always, we look forward to seeing you soon.