The pandemic has really shifted the way in which theatres generate revenue and think towards a new future. Our industry has been through a lot but now some venues are beginning to create new, safer spaces for new audiences; the Arcola Theatre being one of them. 

The London theatre had 3 plans for the future; prepare to reopen their building safely, restart shows and create Arcola Outside. Arcola Outside will be a brand new outdoor theatre, bar and community hub. It’ll lead the way towards a Hackney-wide outdoor festival in 2021 to create opportunities for a wide range of artists and freelance workers, offering hope after such a difficult time for the industry. 

The new outdoor space will bring a significantly reduced Covid risk, a new artistic hub, be open all year round, accessible to all and be sustainable to the environment. 

The new performance space and bar in the heart of Dalston is being designed by award-winning stage designer Jon Bausor (London 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Bat Out of Hell: The Musical, The Grinning Man). The space will be built by a team of freelance theatre and live events technicians. 

Scheduled to open as soon as December 2020, Arcola Outside will be built on a site near the theatre’s main building on Ashwin Street. 

It’s a fantastic announcement from Arcola Theatre and we can’t wait to see it for ourselves when it’s all completed.

For more information, please click here.