Happy Birthday To Us!

From September 2006-September 2007 the Arts Centre celebrated 50 fantastic years!

It is with great pride that I sit down to write a few words about the Arts Centre’s 50th birthday as I perceive such longevity to be a great achievement for any arts provider.

Although the Centre celebrated 50 years in its current Devizes Road home (opened on 1 September, 1956), it was actually preceded by Swindon’s first Arts Centre, which opened in November 1946 in a former Methodist Hall in the town centre – so you could say that we are in fact 60 years old this year!

For me (and many others), the Arts Centre is a very special place. As a Swindonbred lad, my association with the Centre goes back to the mid-70s, when I first appeared on stage as part of the Annual One-Act Play Festival. To find myself at the helm of the building some years later was a dream come true, and I am happy to have remained involved with its success to date.

The list of names who have appeared here is impressive to say the least, – comedians, actors and musicians.

However, it’s not only the performers who make the Centre what it is – it’s all the other people involved at whatever level – dedicated staff, past and present, our loyal front-of-house volunteers, the Friends committee and members, Swindon Borough Council which has owned and funded us from day one, everyone who sponsored a seat in the auditorium, and all of the people involved in the performing societies and artsbased groups that meet here. Many youngsters who have experienced the arts in this venue (Billie Piper and Jamie Cullum, to name but two) have gone on to achieve success in the arts world, and that alone is something for us to be proud of. Crucially, it’s also the audiences who support our events, enabling us to continue to do what we do.

I do hope that, if you have supported an event here in the past, you will continue to do so. If you are new to us, do come along and see what we have to offer.

Here’s to the next 50 years!

Clarry Bean,

Arts Programming Manager