Happy 1st Birthday Burdall’s Yard!
We’ve got lots to celebrate… one year ago on March 1st 2022 we held the official opening of Burdall’s Yard.
Next Stage Theatre Company had seen that the space would be a perfect partner venue for The Mission Theatre, Next Stage’s intimate and popular theatre created by the company 18 years ago from a 250 year old chapel in Corn Street. Wanting to expand their community outreach Ann and Andrew Ellison - Next Stage’s directors – were delighted to acquire the lease to Burdall’s in September 2021. In the last 12 months they, and Next Stage, have been delighted to see Burdall’s Yard transformed into a vibrant artistic hub for the local community along the London Road, Bath.
It feels like a long time since we were rushing around trying to get everything clean, organised and in place for our first artists and audiences who arrived at Burdall’s Yard in March 2022. It’s been exciting to see the venue grow from strength to strength since opening.
Appealing to a wide-ranging creative community in Bath and beyond, Burdall’s Yard has become a space that is open to people of all generations and backgrounds to learn, laugh and be together. Our attractive, vaulted spaces are available for work and community use, and, in the last year have hosted a wide range of conferences, classes, drama practitioners and workshop leaders who meet in the various spaces on a regular basis. Burdall’s Yard is keen to support everyone in Bath in whatever way they can, sharing this unique building with as many people as possible.
In the past year Burdall’s Yard has celebrated the work of many visual artists, who have provided a vibrant and varied programme of exhibitions, featuring contemporary and innovative work. Free to exhibit - local and regional artists have welcomed this new addition to exhibition space within the city. Burdall’s Yard Main Stage has hosted over 75 lives events, including music gigs, recitals, comedy nights, talks, theatre performances and poetry.
In September 2022 Burdall’s Yard teamed up with Always Sunday and Town+House to create a brand new café and bar area, Play+House. Play+House is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm (winter opening hours) and serves a range of hot and cold beverages with ciders and craft beers sourced from local suppliers and a brand new food menu launched for 2023. It’s the perfect spot to take in the current exhibition, read a book, catch up with friends or hang out before a class or show, and is the beating heart of Burdall’s Yard.
It’s been a difficult period for lots of people, and a testing time for venues, and the whole live performance industry. But Burdall’s Yard has been a constant bright spot amid the gloom. Having successfully launched, we want to continue that momentum with the venue as well as look at plans for the future. We would encourage everyone to check out Burdall’s Yard, buy a ticket to a show, have a great night out with friends, pop in for a tea/coffee/lunch, check out an exhibition – so that everyone can contribute to this incredible venue, our unique hub of creativity in Bath.
Whether you are a returning vistor, or have yet to experience what’s on offer at Burdall’s Yard, we are ready to welcome you. We’re here to support the creative journeys of participants, audiences and artists. We’re excited for the year ahead. Come on in!
“A year ago everyone thought we were crazy trying to open a new arts’ venue post-pandemic and in a worsening economic climate. Of course it hasn’t been easy and everyone in the team has worked incredibly hard, often giving up hours of their own time, to facilitate events and look after visiting artists and performers. But 12 months on - Burdall’s Yard is now firmly established in the arts’ scene in Bath – a versatile, welcoming, attractive space unique in all it has to offer and becoming more popular and sought after by the day. Happy 1st Birthday Burdall’s Yard!”
Next Stage’s Artistic Director, Ann Ellison BEM
