The inaugural Great British Theatre Awards took place at Central Hall Westminster on Monday 2 November 2026. Sponsored by the Theatres Trust, the event celebrates the buildings, organisations, and people working behind the scenes to provide performers and audiences with spaces to experience live theatre and connect with their communities.
The night included barnstorming performances from MC Marisha Wallace, who treated the audience to hits from Cabaret, a single from her latest release James Etta, and concluded the evening with a rendition of Whitney Houston’s ‘Simply The Best’. Amid the awards, Keziah Ibe performed ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ from Chichester Festival Theatre’s summer production of Our Fair Lady, and the team at Polka Theatre provided a taste of their upcoming winter show, Peter Pan.
Winners ranged from the Sherborne Studio Theatre, a 52-seater space in Dorset run by an amateur theatre group, to the National Theatre in London, celebrating the full scope of theatre spaces in the UK. The former was celebrated for its recent renovation, which saw seating upgrades, the installation of a hearing loop, and overall access improvements, while the latter was praised for its new Natural Dye and Wellbeing Garden.
The Great Placemaking Partner award recognised the work of local councils to support theatres’ work with local communities, and was won by Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council. Representatives from the council recalled the arduous journey it had taken to get Shakespeare North Playhouse off the ground and shared how the initially somewhat controversial project has benefitted the local community: revitalising the town centre, giving all children in the borough the opportunity to perform on stage, and hosting first-ever theatre visits for 40 thousand people.
Elsewhere, @Sohoplace won the award for Great New Build and Storyhouse in Chester received the Great Public Space trophy. Chichester Festival Theatre was celebrated as Great Green Theatre, while The Dipping House in Stoke-on-Trent was given the Great Found Space title.
The evening came to a close with two special awards, the first being the Great British Theatres Lifetime Achievement Award. This was received by Julie Hesmondhalgh in recognition of her work to support community theatres under threat, particularly the Oldham Coliseum, and her ongoing championing of universal access to theatre. She was presented with the award by her friend James Graham, who is also the director of Punch, for which Hesmondhalgh won Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the Oliviers, before going on to make a heartfelt speech about her love of theatre and its importance for both performers and audiences.
Finally, Citizens Theatre in Glasgow was crowned the Great British Theatre of 2026. Members of the team shared a touching story about the long-lasting place the theatre has had in the city, and the enthusiasm that it has seen since its reopening last year.
Emphasised in winners’ speeches across the board was the need to continue to support theatres big and small across Great Britain, and the lasting impact that these spaces can bring to their communities. While this is only the first Great British Theatre Awards, it was clear from the atmosphere in the room that the celebration of the sector is necessary and welcome, and this will surely become a staple event in the industry.
The Great British Theatre Awards 2026 was a one-off event. You can learn more about Theatre Trust below.
