From January until the end of June 2025, Creative Crawley worked in partnership with Theatre Centre and AudioActive to test two new temporary creative spaces for Crawley. One tested what a town centre performance and exhibition space might look like, and how it might work when open to the public on a regular basis. The other tested what a creative making-space for artists could look like and how it might work in West Green.
The purpose of this test period was to see whether there is an appetite in Crawley for these types of spaces and to explore how the financial model for them might work. This test period runs alongside the work Creative Crawley is doing as part of the Cultural Quarter feasibility study (see below).
From January until the end of March 2025 worked hard to adapt the existing spaces, to make them fit for their new, temporary, purpose. The spaces will not be open to the public.
From April to June 2025 they were open to the public.
The work on the temporary spaces was funded by a place partnership grant from Arts Council England and is supported by a Shared Prosperity grant from UK Government, supported by Crawley Borough Council. It was time-limited funding.
We are now taking time to reflect on what we have learnt and preparing a public document sharing learnings and costs. We did not raise money during the test period to continue them because we will were busy making them happen. This means (because of how funding cycles work) that we will have at least 6 months and potentially a year between the end of the test period to the next phase of the spaces (if there is one) without funding to continue the spaces.
County Mall space
This were open to the general public on Thursdays & Saturdays from 12 noon to 4pm from Sat 29th March to Sunday 22nd June. It was also open at other times for specific performances and events that were part of the Creative Crawley & AudioActive programme.
AudioActive ran their regular workshops for young people in the space during April to June. Plus some special gigs.
Other creative professionals and everyday creatives are able to hire it for a fee. More information on how to book HERE
How to get there:
Unit 79-80, Crawley RH10 1FP
Next to Crawley train station and served by all major bus routes in Crawley. On the first floor opposite Primark.
West Green space
Creative Crawley and Theatre Centre’s long-term partnership aims to build a vibrant cultural hub for Crawley in West Green, empowering creativity and offering a programme with maximum reach and benefit. This hub supports local residents, young people, and professional creatives through arts and cultural activities, inspiring, connecting and building skills.
In the test period from January to June 2025, the space was used for creative professionals and emerging creatives to make their work. There are four resident artists alongside Theatre Centre. Other creatives will be able to book hot desks and small studio spaces from the end of March 2025.
From April until June 2025 the space was open for use by the artists. Once a month, there was be an open day where members of the public and local residents were invited in to see the artists at work.
How to get there:
Theatre Centre, 1 Town Barn Road, West Green RH11 7XG
Opposite Crawley Hospital. A 15 minute walk from Crawley train station. Metrobus routes 2 & 3 or Fastway 10.
A Cultural Quarter for Crawley
Alongside the above activity, we are working on a feasibility study into what a Cultural Quarter might be in Crawley with HemingwayDesign and alwayspossible (commissioned by Crawley Borough Council). We undertook a public consultation that ended in October 2024 and are currently working on a report to share recommendations with Crawley Borough Council. More information on this will be available in due course.
This work was part of our spring season March – June 2025
With special thanks to:
