Our Vision

The Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre would like to see the theatre returned to arts, culture and performance use to further the social well-being and social interest of the community.

The building would make a great hub for Streatham’s art and cultural community and a base for developing artists and organisations. Where people can participate, meet and network… see our creative vision (PDF) and campaign video presentation (YouTube).

We have workshopped potential uses for the building with local people and community groups, and discussed potential options with experts from the industry and professions.

We are aware of a number of locations where similar visions have been delivered, or where campaigns are trying to achieve similar aims. We are collating a list of exemplars here.

If you agree and would like to support this aim, please sign up to our mailing list which will serve as our membership list and as a petition calling for our objectives to be addressed by all relevant parties.

Our volunteer team has created this set of visualisations as part of our design summary (PDF) for how the theatre might be revived for a new future, while retaining its heritage.

A Viability Study and Economic Impact Assessment was carried out by a team led by renowned arts consultancy, FEI, and supported by the Mayor of London, Lambeth Council, the Theatres Trust and over 400 crowdfunded donations from the local community. The report says that restoring the dormant historic building as a centre for arts and culture “could play a major role in leading the post-Covid high-street recovery, developing the 15-minute neighbourhood, increasing localised co-working opportunities and ultimately making a significant economic contribution to the regeneration of this part of London”.

The study recommends a phased, incremental and collaborative approach, with the immediate focus on making meanwhile use of parts of the building. Following on from this, a ‘minimal refurbishment’ of the theatre could be implemented as a sustainable operating model in the medium term, while longer term plans are developed for full refurbishment and operation as a fully commercial theatre.

More about our vision is available here:

• Our Creative Vision (PDF 16 pages)
• Our Design Summary (PDF 23 pages)
• Campaign video presentation (YouTube 32 slides)
• Viability and Economic Impact Assessment report summary (PDF 12 pages)
• Statement of heritage significance (PDF 76 pages)
• Posts about our vision