'Stage the Future' is a £22 million capital project that will transform Salisbury Playhouse into a venue fit for the 21st century.

'Stage the Future' is a once-in-a-generation transformation that will establish Salisbury Playhouse as a beacon of creativity and cultural centrepiece for the region. It will unlock its full producing potential and deepen its role as a centre for skills development, training the next generation of theatre-makers and performers.

As the Playhouse marks its 50th anniversary, this is a pivotal moment - a chance to honour five decades of world-class theatre and ensure the next fifty years are even greater.

The building will become fully accessible and net zero, significantly reducing the Playhouse’s environmental footprint on the local area. Not only this, but the transformation will unlock the Playhouse's full producing potential, enabling bolder and more ambitious work for both the local community and national audiences to enjoy. Investment in world-class workshop, wardrobe and production facilities will deepen the Playhouse's role as a genuine centre for skills development and craft, training the next generation of theatre-makers and performers.

We can't transform the Playhouse alone, and we hope our community will get behind our plans - every show of support makes a difference. Keep an eye on our website and social media channels for updates and details of how you can get involved.

In October 2025, Wiltshire Creative, the performing arts and education charity that runs the Playhouse, shared an online consultation survey with over 16,000 people in the local community. Respondents were asked to share their views on the cultural importance of the Playhouse, their experiences of access and welcome, sustainability priorities and ideas for the future. We received over 500 responses, and the message was clear and resounding: people want the Playhouse to thrive. The stories and feedback gathered will help shape plans for the project.

Without investment, the Playhouse faces a future where ageing infrastructure, failing equipment and an increasingly uncomfortable environment will threaten its ability to serve audiences, artists and communities.

The £22 million will cover major infrastructure works to the interior and exterior of the building, including specialist technical adaptations, refurbishments and repurposing of existing spaces. It will also fund investment in sustainability to help the building reach net zero targets, new lifts throughout to ensure full accessibility, Changing Places facilities and a new piazza at the front of the building, creating a welcoming, vibrant public realm that signals the Playhouse as a destination for everyone. Alongside this, investment in artist-facing spaces will ensure that all who work at the Playhouse feel supported and inspired from the moment they arrive.

Without investment, an increasingly inaccessible and costly building will limit what the Playhouse can offer audiences, artists and communities – and ultimately threaten the long-term future of the building.

The building fully complies with health and safety regulations. The redevelopment is about going further - creating a better, more welcoming experience for audiences, artists and staff.

Not yet, but we will keep our community updated as plans progress.

In April we were awarded £3 million in funding from Arts Council England, and we already have commitment for further funding from private philanthropy and Salisbury City Council. We’re incredibly grateful to our partners for their support and will share more detail as plans develop. We will be launching a public appeal in the very near future – we’ll share more details soon.

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.

We are confident in our plans and committed to making this transformation a reality. We will share more information about our fundraising progress in due course. In the meantime, every pledge and show of support brings us closer to our goal.

We are still finalising the project timeline and will share more detail as plans progress but our ambition is to complete the work in the next three years. We will keep our audiences, artists and community updated every step of the way.

We are carefully considering how to carry out the works with as little disruption as possible to our programme and our audiences. We will share more detail on phasing and scheduling as plans develop.

Keeping our communities connected to the Playhouse throughout this process is important to us. We are working hard to ensure Take Part activity continues and will share more information about our plans in due course.