A Fresh Look, a Clearer Voice, and an Exciting New Chapter
If you’ve spent time with us this past year, you’ll know we’ve been on a bit of a journey—refreshing not just our programme, but who we are and how we connect with you.
It’s been a year of rebuilding confidence, sharpening our identity, and making sure Barbican Theatre feels like the open, welcoming, creative home it’s meant to be.
A Year of Change (the good kind)
One highlight was our first seasonal brochure in years— holding that in our hands felt like a small triumph. It symbolised something we’d been working on quietly: rebuilding our confidence, sharpening our focus, and finding better ways to share the stories and creativity bubbling away in our building, our communities, and across the city.
Alongside a jam-packed programme of shows and events, we also evolved our classes and workshops. Adults, young people, families—our sessions have grown, adapted, reshaped themselves around what people actually need and enjoy. And yes, some of them were definitely ready for a freshen-up. (We heard you. Loudly. Kindly. Appreciatively.)
Because ultimately, the point of all of this is simple: we want you to feel at home with us. To know who we are, what we stand for, and where you fit in.
So… What’s Next?
Two big things: a new website and a new artist development programme.
Our New Website
Cleaner, brighter, and much easier to navigate. It’s built to help you find what’s on, discover the creatives and communities we work with, and follow our story as we continue to evolve. It finally feels like us.
Introducing Pathways: Supporting the South West’s Most Exciting Creatives
The second big step is Pathways, our refreshed approach to artist development.
For years, we’ve been incredibly proud of Rebels Young Company and everything they’ve achieved. Pathways builds on that foundation and expands it—creating a flexible, sustainable, people-focused route for creatives across the South West to grow, experiment, and make the work they’ve always wanted to make.
Pathways offers:
Practical support and mentorship
Space to test ideas
Opportunities to reach bigger audiences
A structure that supports artists at every stage of their journey
It’s ambitious but achievable. Grounded but imaginative. And most importantly, it centres the people who make this region such an exciting place for performance.
Our mission? To create space where locally made work can thrive—and where creatives feel confident, equipped and genuinely supported.
Why This Matters
Because identity isn’t something we just redesign—it’s something we grow into, with you.
We want our audiences and creative community to feel part of this next chapter. The new website will help you connect more easily, and Pathways will help more brilliant local work reach the stage.
Here’s to the year ahead—lighter, brighter, and full of possibility. We’d love you with us every step of the way.
