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Arts Centre Washington. An old tone building with a long, tiled canopy over a set of double doors and a large stained-glass window. In between the door and the window is a teal sign that reads ‘Arts Centre Washington’ in white text. Underneath the sign is a large round planter filled with greenery. On the left is a big green tree and at the base of it a bunch of wildflowers.
Arts Centre Washington. An old tone building with a long, tiled canopy over a set of double doors and a large stained-glass window. In between the door and the window is a teal sign that reads ‘Arts Centre Washington’ in white text. Underneath the sign is a large round planter filled with greenery. On the left is a big green tree and at the base of it a bunch of wildflowers.

Access Information

For Arts Centre Washington

At Arts Centre Washington, we strive to make everyone feel safe and welcome while visiting our venue. We hope that the information below will help you plan your visit.

We recognise that not all disabilities are visible or long term. If you have any additional needs for you visit that are not addressed below, or if you have any questions, please get in touch.

We also have walkthrough videos and a social story, which can help you to familiarise yourself with our venue and what to expect on your visit. Please note that we have changing exhibitions, so some areas will have different displays and may look very different to how they are shown in the videos and social story.

 

Walkthrough videos

Social story

 

Contact Us

0191 561 3455

acw@sunderland.gov.uk

Our Venue

Car Park & Entrance

The Centre has a free car park directly outside of the building. There are three designated blue badge bays next to the front door. One of the blue badge parking bays also has an electric vehicle charging facility.

The main entrance has a slight slope leading to automatic doors, allowing step-free access.

Guide Dogs and Assistance Dogs

We welcome guide dogs and assistance dogs in our venue. We can also provide water for your dog upon request.

If you are coming to a performance in the theatre with your guide dog or assistance dog, please let a member of staff at reception know upon arrival.

Induction Loop

Induction loop facilities are available in the theatre.

Theatre

There are stairs leading up to the Theatre. If you are unable to use the stairs on your visit, please come to the reception when you arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the performance. From here a member of staff will show you to your seat via the ground floor.

At the interval and at the end of the performance, a member of staff will also be on hand to assist you.

Our seats

Our seats do not have arm rests.

The front row of seats is level access. The rest of the seating bank is accessed by steps. There are 2 steps to the second row and 2 additional steps for each row as it leads to the back of the theatre.

Courtyard Workshops and Studios

The Art Workshop, Art Gallery, Artist studios and recording studio are on the ground floor behind the main building. Some of the entrances to these facilities have a small lip that may make access for those with limited mobility or wheelchair users more difficult.

If you would like assistance on your visit, get in touch and we can arrange for a member of staff to help you.

Granary

The Granary is upstairs. You can access this space using a doorway that is on the left-hand side when you walk into the entrance of the Arts Centre.

This area has a lift which is directly opposite the reception desk on the ground floor.

Toilets and changing facilities

We have a large accessible toilet on the ground floor, fitted with grab bars and an emergency cord, and baby changing facilities adjacent to the Theatre and Bar entrance.

The male and female toilets are also on the ground floor. The male toilets have two standard cubicles, and the female toilets have three standard cubicles.

There are also toilets in the Low Barn, including an accessible toilet, male and female toilets.

Walkthrough videos

Arts Centre Washington. An old tone building with a long, tiled canopy over a set of double doors and a large stained-glass window. In between the door and the window is a teal sign that reads ‘Arts Centre Washington’ in white text. Underneath the sign is a large round planter filled with greenery. On the left is a big green tree and at the base of it a bunch of wildflowers.
Open Media

Entrance & Box Office

The Low Barn at Arts Centre Washington. A large function room with a white vaulted ceiling filled with black beams that have fairy lights hanging from them. The floor is light wood. The wall to the left is draped with black curtains. The wall to the right is beige stone with archways that have been filled and painted white. In front of the archways are wooden benches.
Open Media

The Low Barn

A long room with white walls, a vaulted dark beam ceiling and purple carpet floor. There are tall windows at regular intervals along the lefthand wall.
Open Media

Granary

An exhibition with paintings hanging on white walls.
Open Media

Gallery

A dimly lit space with wooden beams on the left, a purple wall on the right with artwork on display and a doorway in a stone wall at the end.
Open Media

Route to Theatre

A raked seating bank in a stone-walled room that leads down to a black stage with black curtains hanging at the back of it.
Open Media

Theatre

A control room of a recording studio with two people sat behind a large mixing desk. Through the long window, you can see into the wood panelled room where two musicians are playing drums and guitar.
Open Media

Recording Studio

Young people sit at a large table cluttered with art supplies working on pieces of paper. The white back wall is filled with drawings and painting on paper and canvas.
Open Media

Art Workshop

A café/bar in a stone-walled room with a vaulted ceiling and dark wooden beams. It is a long room with wooden tables and black leather chairs down the left. To the right is a marble-topped bar with various beer pumps and bottles in the shelf behind it. People sit on high black leather chairs at the bar. Others sit at the tables with drinks.
Open Media

The Courtyard Bar