News Story
The Theatre Chipping Norton has been announced as a finalist in two Theatre Awards. In The Great British Theatres Trust’s Awards, The Theatre is nominated in the Great Community Connection category. It receives an Excellence in Inclusivity nomination in the UK Theatre Awards.
The Great British Theatres Awards recognise the theatres and their champions that are making an outstanding contribution to the UK’s cultural life. The awards were launched as part of Theatres Trust’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
The awards recognise the theatres that are going above and beyond to open their doors and offer a warm welcome to everyone, whether that’s through building adaptations, programming or outreach work.
The Theatre Chipping Norton’s industry leading rural community arts programme is run by the Take Part department. The Theatre has developed a very different approach to building an embedded relationship with the most severe pockets of disadvantage and deprivation. This work has fundamentally changed The Theatre’s relationship with the whole town.
Jo Robinson, The Theatre’s General Manager said: “Our team at The Theatre work passionately every day to improve people’s lives in our rural community – never expecting anything in return for doing so. Community members who once never imagined entering the theatre now drop in, share news, or bring friends—because they feel the building belongs to them. Which, of course, it does.
To have our Take Part team’s skills and achievements recognised on a national scale with these nominations is a delight to us all and should shine a light on every one of them. We are incredibly proud of our Theatre and our community and look forward to sharing that at the awards ceremony in November.”
Joshua McTaggart, CEO of Theatres Trust says, “From school meals and free tickets to BSL cafés and dementia programmes, the Great Community Connection finalists show the wide-ranging ways that theatres can become places of connection and belonging for their community. Theatres Trust knew there was a need to celebrate theatres, but our judges had an incredibly hard time selecting the finalists. I want to extend my congratulations to every one of them. We can’t wait to celebrate our Great British Theatres in style this November.”
The full list of finalists in the Great Community Connection category is: Cast, Doncaster; Citizens Theatre, Glasgow; Derby Theatre; Eden Court, Inverness; Hoxton Hall, London; Polka Children’s Theatre, London; The Theatre Chipping Norton and Wolverhampton Grand.
The winners will be revealed at the Great British Theatres Awards ceremony at Central Hall Westminster on Monday 2 November 2026. Tickets will be available to purchase online via Theatres Trust’s website.
UK Theatre Awards 2026 celebrate the creative excellence and outstanding achievements seen on and off stage throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The full list of finalists in the Excellence in Inclusivity category is: National Youth Theatre, Northern Stage, The Theatre Chipping Norton.
The Awards ceremony will take place at 8 Northumberland Avenue in London on Monday 12 October
