ADVERTISEMENTTo celebrate the 200th anniversary of The Old Market Theatre, the venue is set to bring a slate of exciting shows to a Brighton audience that’s in love with the innovative programming that has defined the unique theatre.
For the anniversary, The Old Market (TOM) has launched a fundraising campaign backed by arts group STOMP and Fatboy Slim, aimed at raising £100,000 (€119,000) by the end of the year for key refurbishments to the building.
Originally established in 1825 as a market designed by architect Charles Busby, The Old Market has since served as a riding academy and stables, before becoming an arts venue in the 1980s. The venue has played host to the creative talent of Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell, who went on to found the percussion theatre group STOMP.
TOM is principally a black box theatre known for championing multidisciplinary works. The venue is versatile, hosting a range of shows from its In The Box series, which uses four-way projectors for immersive experiences, to various performances and artists like Fatboy Slim and James Lavelle’s UNKLE Sounds.
The theatre also champions diversity, with initiatives like Reigning Women, which has programmed 77 female artists since 2018. TOM works with emerging artists and industry giants alike, emphasizing the importance of its “greenhouse effect” in nurturing talent.
Despite the challenges facing the arts in the UK, such as the risk of theatre closures and economic strain, TOM continues to innovate. The theatre has transitioned into a charity to diversify income streams and is exploring new technologies, including VR and AR, to blend with traditional performances. TOM’s community partnerships with initiatives like Hera inform its programming to address public health and wellbeing needs.
The theatre’s commitment to fostering creativity and its potential for future successes underscores the importance of supporting such venues. By safeguarding spaces for artistic development, TOM contributes to a vibrant cultural pipeline that benefits both artists and audiences.
