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For Arts Centre Washington

This story is to help you plan your visit to Arts Centre Washington.

There are a lot of things to see and do in Arts Centre Washington. You can take part in activities and see shows in our theatre by buying tickets. Or you can visit for free and see our exhibitions.

What’s on

Check current opening times

Getting to Arts Centre Washington

You can travel to Arts Centre Washington in lots of ways. Most people come by car or bus, or they walk.

If you travel by car, there is a car park right outside the Centre. You can park here for free.

You might travel by bus, and there are lots of bus stops close by.

Arts Centre Washington front entrance. The L-shaped front facade of a converted farm building. The walls are old stone in shades of beige and it has a cluster of black wooden doors in the corner. On the left is a roof-tiled canopy over an open set of double doors and a large stained-glass window. In front of the building is a tarmacked area which is flanked by large green trees.

Car park and front entrance

Arriving at Reception

As you walk up to Arts Centre Washington, you will see the doors to reception. You will need to push the door on the right to get inside.

The reception has some display cases with artwork for sale in them.

This area can get busy when people are waiting to go to a performance in the Theatre but it is usually quite quiet most of the time.

There will be a member of staff in reception when you arrive. This person can help if you need anything. If you know where you want to go, or just want to look around, you don’t need to stop here.

Arts Centre Washington reception. A cream foyer with a grey archway on the left with a window that opens to a reception desk. On the desk are leaflets, payment machines and snacks for purchase. On the right is an open archway leading into the rest of the venue.

Reception desk

The Low Barn

You might use the Low Barn for an event or session that is happening here.

You can reach the Low Barn by walking through reception and turning left.

There are some paintings on the walls. There might be some tables and chairs in here when you visit.

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.

The Low Barn

The Art Workshop

You might use the Art Workshop for a session that is happening here.

You can reach the Art Workshop by walking through Reception and straight ahead, towards the back door. The back door has a push bar to open it.

Sometimes you are not supposed to use a push bar unless in an emergency, but it is always ok to use this door to get to the Art Workshop, the Recording Studio or just to get outside.

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.

Art Workshop

Getting into the Theatre

There are signs in Arts Centre Washington to show you the way to the Theatre. If you are not sure where to go, ask a member of staff.

Before going into the Theatre, you may need to climb some stairs. Staff can show you where these stairs are, or you can follow the signs in the Centre. You will only need to use these stairs if the raked seating is out. Arts Centre Washington staff will be happy to help you if you are unsure.

If you need step-free access to the Theatre, please ask a member of staff at the reception desk at least 15 minutes before the performance. They will lead you through the ground floor entrance. This entrance is in a staff only area, so you will need to be with a staff member to go through.

There is an accessible toilet near the entrance to the Theatre.

There is another accessible toilet through the Low Barn.

Theatre

You might use the Theatre to watch a performance. You will come into the room through a door at the back of the room and sit in one of the seats in this picture.

It sometimes gets darker than this in the Theatre, but there will always be some lights on so you can see what’s happening.

There might also be some loud noises in some performances. If you would like to know what to expect during a performance, please ask a member of staff.

The chairs you see in this picture (called raked seating) are sometimes put away. If this happens, you will be given somewhere else to sit in the 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.

Theatre

The Courtyard Bar

There is a bar in Arts Centre Washington called The Courtyard. People can buy alcoholic drinks and soft drinks here. People can also buy meals here. There is a menu (list of available meals) on each table, or you can find one at the bar.

This area sometimes gets a bit noisier than the rest of the building. There is sometimes music playing in here and there are food smells.

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.

The Courtyard Bar & Cafe

The Granary

The Granary is used for meetings and workshops. There is enough space to put out some tables and chairs to work at.

You can get to the Granary by going through the door in the corner of the reception area and walking up the stairs. There is a lift opposite the reception desk.

A long room with white walls and a dark wooden vaulted ceiling. In the room there are two tables set up with people sat at them looking towards a presentation on a projector screen. To the left of the screen a person stands talking and gesturing to the presentation.

A presentation in the Granary

The Recording Studio

The Recording Studio is usually used by people who want to record music and singing. There are computers and machines that can record sounds and play them back so you can listen to them.

You can get to the Recording Studio by heading straight through reception and out of the back door with the push bar.

There are two parts to the Recording Studio. The Control Room (in the first image below) and the Live Room (in the second image below). There is a window between the rooms so people in each room can see each other.

A small room with wood panelled walls and brown carpet. In the room, people are playing instruments and singing into microphones. There are speakers, wires and other bits of recording equipment around the room.

Young people performing in the recording studio