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New Everyman Groundbreaking Launches Everyone for the Everyman Appeal

31st January 2012 Guests watching Steve Tompkins Sketching

The journey towards the hotly anticipated 21st century Everyman on Hope Street reached an important milestone today as the official Groundbreaking marked the start of building work on site. Alongside the groundbreaking, the Everyone for the Everyman public appeal was launched to raise the final tranche of funding and ensure that future generations of talent in the city are nurtured beyond the opening of the new building.

• Building work begins on new 21st century Everyman Theatre on Hope Street
• Everyone for the Everyman appeal launched to support new building and new talent
• Supporters offered a chance to Name a Seat in the new theatre

Architect Steve Tompkins led a tour of the Hope Street site where the new theatre will take shape, pointing out in situ where the theatre space, Bistro, dressing rooms, rehearsal spaces and other new facilities will soon be a reality. A film of this site tour is available here, below the live webcam which is following the whole of the build until the new Everyman opens next year.

Following public funding confirmation last April, and work behind the scenes to raise funds from trusts and foundations, the building project has already secured £27m funding, 99% of which has been brought into the city from national or European sources including £16.8m from Arts Council England, £5.9m from the European Regional Development Fund and £2.5m invested by the Northwest Regional Development Agency. The first major donation from a Liverpool philanthropist - £200k from the Peter Johnson Foundation - marks the transition to inviting local people to get involved via the Everyone for the Everyman appeal. Not only will this provide the final funds needed to complete the building, it will make it possible for the Everyman to nurture new generations of Liverpool artists on a greater scale than ever before.

Everyman and Playhouse Executive Director Deborah Aydon said: “The beginning of the build is a phenomenally exciting moment. We have raised 98% of the funds needed to complete the building, and are now asking those who love the Everyman – and we know there are a great many who do, very passionately – to play their part in making the new theatre the best it can be. The new building will be a wonderful thing, but it is not the end of the story: it’s the beginning of the next chapter. So funds raised through the Everyone for the Everyman appeal will also support the writers, actors, directors and designers of the future, so that the new theatre will be an exciting creative hub for many decades to come.”

David Morrissey, who started his acting life in the Everyman Youth Theatre and returned last May to play Macbeth in the last production before redevelopment, agrees that the Everyman is an exceptional environment for young people and new work: “The Everyman provided me and many others with the courage to follow our dreams and pursue a career in the theatre. Now it can do the same for a whole new generation and act as a creative heart in the city.”

Donations large or small can be made as a single or regular gift, and every pound donated up to the first £250,000 will be matched by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. Supporters giving £500 or more will have an opportunity to Name a Seat in the new theatre, and everyone who makes a gift, of any size, will be thanked and acknowledged on the theatre’s website and in a special celebratory publication.

Last week the theatres launched a major expansion of the existing and renowned Youth Theatre, with over 250 young people taking over the Playhouse to launch YEP – Young Everyman Playhouse. YEP is an ambitious and innovative programme for young people, initially funded by Arts Council England’s Grants for the Arts, which will put young people at the heart of all the theatres’ work.

Existing Elements Facade Perspective

Designed by Britain’s leading theatre architects, Haworth Tompkins, the accessible and environmentally sustainable new Everyman will combine the trademark wrap-around auditorium and basement Bistro with many new facilities. Light, open front-of house spaces and a pavement café; rehearsal and workshop facilities; a dedicated space for the theatre’s work with young people and community groups, and a workspace for writers will allow the whole building to be a vibrant, creative hub, by day and night. And a beautiful façade, representing the people of Liverpool, will express the fact that this is truly an Everyman for Everyone.

Executive Director Deborah Aydon and architect Steve Tompkins discuss being on site and the plans for the building: