Bristol Old Vic Redevelopment Begins

After 20 years of planning, preparation and fundraising, work has started on our £19.26 million capital programme. Over the next year we'll be redeveloping our auditorium and backstage areas. These spaces will reopen in September 2012.

You won't see a huge change front of house during this phase, but behind the back wall of our café and bar it's a hive of activity. Here are some of the things we're working on:

• Raising the stalls and gallery to improve your sightlines in the auditorium
• Converting our Paintshop and Sidestage into new, fully functioning performance spaces so that we can programme even more work for you
• Building new rehearsal spaces and renovating the offices
• Installing lifts backstage to make the building more accessible
• Installing a new air movement and heating system

And most importantly, 40 years after it was originally scheduled to happen, we are replacing the seating! And this is only the first phase. The second phase will begin in 2014 and is when we'll transform our foyers and Studio spaces. The whole project will be completed by 2016 - in time for our 250th anniversary. As work continues, we'll be updating a large display in our Stalls Bar to let you know which stage of the project we're at, what we've found out and what the new building will look like. Over the coming months, you'll also start to see more and more information on our website, bristololdvic.org.uk