Bush Theatre has welcomed more than 40,000 visitors since Guards at the Taj opened and over 35,000 theatre tickets have been booked
· Shows performed to an average of 83% seated capacity
· 50% of attenders are first-time bookers
· Engagement with over 1000 community participants
· 60K people have taken a virtual tour of the building on Google Maps
· 20% of audiences are able to access a £10 ticket
· Building shortlisted for the 2018 RIBA Award
· 2017 The Stage Awards nomination for Best Theatre Building
· Awarded highly commended in the 2017 AJ Retrofit Awards for Cultural Buildings
· The B*easts received an Olivier Award nomination for ‘Best Production in an Affiliate Theatre’
· Guards at the Taj nominated for Best Sound Design in the Offie Awards
· NASSIM continues to tour having so far visited 20 venues in 15 countries, expanding the theatre’s global reach
· Hijabi Monologues London becomes the theatre’s first digital project as 9 full length monologues are filmed and distributed in partnership with the British Council
· Once in a Lifetime, a book taking a visual journey through our historic year of renovation is launched to celebrate the anniversary
· Arts Council England funding agreement now in place for 4 years
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In spring 2017 Bush Theatre reopened its doors to the public following the largest redevelopment in the theatre’s history. The £4.2m re-development of the venue by award-winning architects Haworth Tompkins transformed a library built by famed philanthropist John Passmore at the turn of the 20th century into a fully accessible, modernised cultural building in the heart of Shepherd’s Bush. The building has been nominated for the 2018 RIBA Award, with the announcement of the winner due in May.
The new building is more sustainable and entirely accessible, with a new entrance, front-of-house area and exterior garden terrace to the main street. A new studio space and attic rehearsal room have allowed the Bush to work with a further 200 artists each year and have allowed a 50% increase in produced, co-produced and commissioned productions. This is a remarkable growth for the theatre since moving from above a pub on Shepherd’s Bush Green in 2011.
In the past year the building has presented 13 produced, co-produced and commissioned productions, bold new plays that speak up for the many communities of contemporary London in a building open and accessible to all. The building has welcomed more than 40,000 visitors since Guards at the Taj opened in April 2017 and over 35,000 theatre tickets have been booked. This is an increase of 15% on the year the venue was last in their building, with an average of 50% of attenders being first time bookers. Continuing the theatre’s mission to make theatre accessible to all, 20% of main house theatre tickets have been available through the ‘Count Me In’ ticket scheme.
The refurbished Bush Theatre has become a home for the local community; the public spaces are thronged daily with customers using the Reading Room and Library Bar and theatre practitioners working in the Attic, Meeting Room and Writer’s Room spaces. The venue has piloted a Community Associate Companies programme and engaged with over 1,000 community participants since re-opening.
In 2017-18, the theatre read 1,000 scripts in one of the country’s only remaining Literary departments. 484 of those were received through our unsolicited script submissions window. The Emerging Writers Group engaged six writers and previous member Sophie Wu’s commission Ramona Tells Jim was produced in the Studio in autumn 2017. Work continues with six Associate Artists and continued participation in Project 2036 – one of the three cohorts, Ingrid Marvin was recently appointed Assistant Producer at the theatre and Alison Holder became Producing Co-ordinator and established herself as an independent producer.
Once in a Lifetime, a book taking a visual journey through our historic year of renovation has been launched. The theatre closed, the builders arrived, performances continued, the community returned and history was made. Capturing the transformation, the creativity and the everyday through 2016-17: this is the Bush Theatre, stripped back, laid bare, and open to all. Copies of the book can be ordered from http://www.blurb.co.uk/b/8619011-once-in-a-lifetime-hardback
Environmental sustainability was at the heart of the landmark capital redevelopment that took place at the Bush Theatre. Key achievements aside from the capital project in 2016/17 include:
A partnership with Good Energy, a 100% renewable electricity supplier, to support the Bush’s environmental sustainability plan
Participation in the London Theatre Consortium/ Julie’s Bicycle Sustainability Project, which started in 2010 and comprises a three-year commitment to address the environmental impacts of arts organisations. This programme was nominated for a prestigious Observer Ethical Award 2015.
Receipt of a three-star Creative Green rating for the third year in a row recognising a commitment to understand, improve and communicate carbon and environmental impacts.
Award of waste disposal contract to First Mile, meaning that 0% of our waste now goes to landfill.
Use of 100% recycled paper approved by the Woodland Trust for all office printing.
Inclusion of a sustainability commitment in all staff job descriptions.
Implementation of green procurement principles when selecting suppliers.
The Bush ensures it embeds messaging around its sustainability programmes in its communication strategy, both online and offline.
With thanks for the Arts Council, England, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham Council and all charitable trusts and foundations, corporate supporters and individual patrons who made our capital redevelopment and year of work off-site possible.
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