An artist's impression of the exterior of Salisbury Playhouse with a red-framed façade and large glass windows, showing café tables and chairs in a paved courtyard where people are seated and walking.

Salisbury Playhouse unveils once-in-a-generation £22m transformation

News 5 Jun 2026

News Story

We’re excited to unveil plans for a major £22 million redevelopment of Salisbury Playhouse.

The Stage the Future project sets out an ambitious vision for the future, with a venue fit for the 21st century - Net Zero and fully accessible, with upgraded technical facilities, wardrobe and workshop spaces - and a renewed commitment to developing the next generation of theatre-makers.

We are proud to welcome over 200,000 visitors each year and reach 15,000 people through our Take Part programme. Our redevelopment will allow us to go further in our commitment to creating cultural experiences for all.

An artist's impression of the foyer of Salisbury Playhouse, showing a spacious, modern lobby and café area with warm lighting and light wood finishes. In the foreground, several cushioned chairs and small tables are arranged on a tiled floor, with people sitting and others standing nearby.

Investment in world-class production facilities will deepen the Playhouse's role as a centre for craft and skills, creating pathways for emerging artists and technicians to learn their trade at one of the country's leading regional theatres.

Salisbury Playhouse has welcomed a wealth of talent to its stage including Ewan McGregor, Ruby Wax, Rupert Everett, Timothy West, Prunella Scales, Claire Sweeney, Hermione Norris and Pete Postlethwaite. We support jobs and sustain a wider ecosystem of local creative talent, suppliers and businesses.

An artist's impression of the warmly lit interior of Salisbury Playhouse foyer, with wooden furniture, round pendant lights, and people seated at tables or walking through the space. A red column in the foreground displays white text reading “SALBERG STUDIO" and “MAIN THEATRE”, while the background shows a bar area and structural columns under a coffered ceiling.

This is a pivotal moment for the Playhouse – it’s a chance to honour five decades of world-class theatre and ensure the next fifty years are even greater. Our community wants the Playhouse to thrive, and as one of the South West’s only full professional producing theatres, we are a core backbone of British theatrical talent.

Investment in this redevelopment is vital in unlocking our full producing potential – enabling bolder, more ambitious work, and securing the Playhouse as a cultural cornerstone of the South West - for artists, for audiences, for generations.

We are incredibly grateful to our partners and stakeholders, who are working with us to help achieve these exciting plans.

The Right Honourable John Glen, MP for Salisbury, said: “Local theatres have the power to galvanise communities, but they also drive economic growth and nurture the grassroots talent that feeds British theatre. The transformation of Salisbury Playhouse will secure that mission for generations, developing the talent of today, inspiring the artists of tomorrow, and bringing communities together. Supporting this campaign means ensuring the Playhouse remains open and accessible to all - for the next fifty years and beyond.”

The ambition is to complete the works over the next three years, and we look forward to sharing further updates about the redevelopment over the coming months.

Click here to read the Stage the Future FAQs