Most Welcoming Theatre Finalists

We are absolutely thrilled to share some wonderful news: we’ve been named a finalist for Most Welcoming Theatre at the UK Theatre Awards, sponsored by Encore!

We’ve been shortlisted alongside Nottingham Playhouse and Theatr Clwyd for the 2026 UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre Award. To be recognised among such fantastic company is a real honour and we are so proud of all of our staff and volunteers.

About the Most Welcoming Theatre Award:

UK Theatre member venues from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were invited to apply for this coveted title. Finalists were selected based on how welcoming their venues are across a whole range of factors — from accessibility and inclusion practices, to programming, outreach, workforce and audience development.

In other words, this award looks at everything that goes into making someone feel genuinely welcome when they walk through our doors, whether that’s their very first visit or their five hundredth.

What happens next?

A judging panel will now visit each of the three finalist venues in person to help decide the overall winner. These visits typically involve meeting staff, taking a tour of the building, joining in with a scheduled activity, chatting to audience members, and popping into the onsite café, bar or restaurant.

The winner will be revealed at this year’s UK Theatre Awards, returning to 8 Northumberland Avenue in London on Monday 12th of October. For over 30 years, this annual ceremony has celebrated the very best of creative excellence and outstanding achievement on and off stage, right across the UK.

Our Artistic Director, Owen Calvert-Lyons, shared his thoughts on the nomination: “We are absolutely delighted to be nominated for this award. This nomination is testament to the dedication of our brilliant staff team and particularly to our team of 120 volunteer stewards who give up their time to ensure that audiences have a great time when visiting Theatre Royal.”

Thank you!

This nomination isn’t just a nice thing to celebrate – it’s a genuine reflection of the passion, warmth and hard work that our staff and volunteers bring to Theatre Royal every single day. From the moment you book a ticket to the moment you leave after a show, so much thought goes into making sure you feel looked after and you have a great time.

So to every member of staff, and to our incredible team of 120 volunteers – thank you. This one is for you.

We’ll be sharing updates as the judging process continues, so watch this space. Fingers crossed for the 12th of October!

Find out more about the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre Award here.