Carnegie Theatre

The Carnegie Theatre, or The Carnegie, is a theatre and arts centre located in Workington, Cumbria, England. It occupies a Grade II listed building[1] and is a registered charity.[2]

The Carnegie Theatre
AddressFinkle Street
Workington
England
OperatorCarnegie Theatre Trust (Workington)
CapacityApproximately 330 (Theatre)
Current useTheatre and Arts Centre
Construction
OpenedThursday 6 October 1904
ArchitectMessrs Wittett and Mellon, York
Website
www.carnegietheatre.co.uk
Front entrance to Carnegie Arts Centre Workington
Carnegie Theatre alongside the Arts Centre Workington

The Foundation Stone for the 'Carnegie Free Library & Lecture Hall' was laid by his Worship The Mayor, Alderman R E Highton on Thursday 10 September 1903. The building opened on Thursday 6 October 1904 following a Carnegie library donation of £7,500 from Andrew Carnegie, the millionaire Ironmaster and Scottish/American Industrialist and philanthropist.[3][4]

The lecture hall was used as a cinema from 1909 under a cinematograph license held by the librarian. The cinema was later let to Grave Cinemas Ltd. It was converted to a theatre after 1963.[5]

Following that long tradition of a building for the people, to this day a regular programme of music and dance events is enjoyed by local people and tourists. Classes and courses are held in the Carnegie Arts Centre every week with a variety of events within the theatre and arts space. Monroes Bar has a reputation for great quality live gigs, along with a busy cafe area open 6 days a week and spaces available for groups, workshops, business meetings and a wide range of other events.

Carnegie Development Group

Following a public meeting in 2011 the Carnegie Development Group was formed to support and secure a sustainable future for the Carnegie Theatre and Arts Centre as the prime venue for theatre, arts and culture in Workington and its surrounding districts. It later morphed into the "Friends of the Carnegie" group.[6]

The aims and objectives of the Carnegie Development Group were to:

  1. Provide support to secure a sustainable future for the Carnegie Theatre and Arts Centre as the prime venue for theatre, arts and culture in Workington and its surrounding districts.
  2. To work jointly with other organisations in Workington in marketing and publicity for Theatre and the Arts.

The venue was taken over by the Carnegie Theatre Trust on the 01 May 2015 and is operated as a charity. It has a small number of paid staff that are managed by the board of directors (trustees).

Until January 2023, the chair of the trust was Lee Martin-White.[2]


54.644698°N 3.547978°W / 54.644698; -3.547978

References
  1. Historic England 1327209
  2. "Carnegie Theatre Trust (Workington), registered charity no. 1160963". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
  3. The West Cumberland Times, Saturday 8 October 1904
  4. "Carnegie Theatre and Arts Centre". Theatres Trust. 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  5. Byers, Richard L. M. (2003). History of Workington (1866 to 1955): An Illustrated History. Richard Byers. ISBN 978-0952981251.
  6. Carnegie (Workington) Ltd (2014). Carnegie Theatre Trust – Business Plan 2015 – 2019 (PDF). Allerdale District Council. Retrieved 3 August 2023.


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