Venues North is a network of venues from across the North of England who are committed to supporting artists to create new work. Our aim is to work together as venues to support new and emerging artists from the North to get their work more widely seen regionally, nationally and internationally.

By new work, we mean new theatre and performance, usually devised work or new writing, or work that explores the boundaries of theatrical form.

Venues North is not a closed network or an exclusive group of venues. It is a paid membership organisation open to any venue in the North that shares our commitment to supporting artists making new work.

Originally brought together by Annabel Turpin, the group is now chaired by ARC’s Chief Executive & Creative Director, Alexander Ferris, and meets three times a year.

Current publications include:

Previous publications include:

  • COVID-19 Status Reports
  • Annual Edinburgh festival guides for work made in the North

Find our past publications on our resources page.

Current members include:

  • Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle
  • ARC, Stockton
  • Barnsley Civic
  • Blackpool Grand Theatre, Blackpool
  • Carriageworks, Leeds
  • Cast, Doncaster
  • Crewe Lyceum, Crewe
  • Darlington Hippodrome, Darlington
  • Enable Us – University of Sheffield Performance Venues
  • Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond
  • Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle
  • Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate
  • HOME, Manchester
  • Hull Truck Theatre, Hull
  • Interplay, Leeds
  • Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield
  • Leeds Playhouse, Leeds
  • Live Theatre, Newcastle
  • Liverpool Lighthouse, Liverpool
  • Liverpool’s Royal Court, Liverpool
  • New Adelphi Theatre, Salford
  • Northern Stage, Newcastle 
  • Octagon Theatre, Bolton
  • Oldham Library Studio, Oldham
  • Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
  • Sheffield Theatres, Sheffield
  • Slung Low’s HUB, Leeds
  • Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
  • Storyhouse, Chester
  • Sunderland Culture Company, Washington
  • The Arts Centre – Edge Hill University, Ormskirk
  • The Atkinson, Southport
  • The Dukes, Lancaster
  • The Edge Theatre & Arts Centre, Chorlton
  • The Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, Liverpool
  • The Lowry, Salford
  • The Muni Theatre, Colne
  • The Old Electric, Blackpool
  • The Viaduct Theatre, Halifax
  • Theatre by the Lake, Keswick
  • Theatre in the Mill, Bradford
  • Theatre Royal Wakefield
  • Unity Theatre, Liverpool
  • Waterside, Sale
  • York Theatre Royal, York
  • Your Trust, Rochdale
  • Z-arts, Manchester

If you are a venue interested in joining, please email Alexander Ferris