Who We Are

Worcester Arts Workshop is a community-focused arts educational organisation based at centrally-located premises in Sansome Street, Worcester. It is a charitable company limited by guarantee run by a professional staff and receives revenue funding Worcestershire County Council.

The organisation occupies a renovated and adapted building of eighteenth century origin with modern additions, containing a small underground studio theatre, a purpose-built pottery, arts and craft rooms, workshops and office space, and a vaulted cellar adapted for performance activities and meetings.

The Workshop runs a programme of performances, adult and children’s arts and crafts workshops and exhibitions at its Sansome Street base. It also hosts a variety of arts activities by other organisations including adult arts and craft classes administered by Worcester College of Technology and dance classes run by DanceFest, Worcester’s dance development agency.

The Workshop’s venue space is one of the most interesting – and atmospheric – in Worcester! The Workshop participates in the ‘Shindig’ rural and community touring scheme which enables it to present high-quality performances, particularly music with an emphasis on culturally-diverse acts. However, theatre and dance are also represented with performances by both professional and local drama and dance groups.

The venue also regularly hosts the very popular Café Subterranea, a potent mix of music, dance, drama, poetry, film and other performance arts, presented in a relaxed, cabaret style and taking its name from the below ground level location!

Other Workshop initiatives include ‘Volcano’, Worcester’s community choir (now located at the Baptist Church in Sansome Walk, Worcester) which welcomes everyone – no audition, no need to read music – just a passion for singing!

Until April 2009, an important part of our work was outreach work, undertaking projects in the community, in schools – mainstream and special needs - and with other community-orientated organisations, throughout Worcestershire and sometimes beyond. The projects were mainly visual-arts based, but other art forms were often included. Unfortunately, the loss of considerable revenue funding in 2008/9 has meant that this very valuable and well-regarded work has had to be suspended. Hopefully, some outreach activities will be possible again in the future when new funding has been sourced.