FUTURE POLKA - redeveloping Britain's leading theatre for children

Future Polka Inspiring the next generation

“ Theatre has the ability to entertain, enrich and empower children from all walks of life.

As a Patron of Polka Theatre, I’ve seen first-hand the important contribution to children’s theatre that they have made, and we now have a brilliant opportunity to expand that work for generations to come. This redevelopment will be a wonderful example of how London theatres can contribute to the future of arts education and culture in the UK.” Sadiq Khan Mayor of London and Polka Patron

Scene from a Polka Curtain Up! subsidised schools’ performance. Photo ©David Monteith-Hodge

A bigger vision for children’s theatre Polka is a rare and special thing: an acclaimed producer of world-class theatre for children, from babies to 12-year-olds, and one of the few venues in the UK still exclusively for children. As we near our 40th anniversary, we have a unique opportunity to redevelop Polka for future generations, but our need to do so is now urgent and we need your support.

Polka was the first stand-alone theatre dedicated to children in the UK, re-imagining what a theatre venue could and should be for children.

The work we do is essential. Live theatre stimulates imagination and creative development. Inclusivity and accessibility have been central to Polka’s mission since opening in 1979.

Polka Theatre is approaching a crucial milestone in its history – the first major capital redevelopment of its premises. Our proposed and now urgently-needed redevelopment offers an exciting opportunity to evolve, with new state-of-the-art facilities and the opening of the UK’s first specialist national centre for Early Years theatre.

Over the coming years, the redevelopment will allow us to explore innovative new partnerships and programming that reflect Polka’s vision and take the Polka magic nationwide.

Peter Glanville, Chief Executive & Artistic Director, Polka Theatre We are thrilled to have this unique opportunity to improve Polka Theatre for future generations of children and theatre artists. It will also allow us, as a charity, to ensure Polka’s long-term sustainability, artistically and financially.

With the proposed improvements, we will be able to preserve what is special about Polka – a place of wonder and inspiration for children, schools, families and artists, and a vibrant hub for our community.

Help us inspire the imaginations of the next generation by supporting Future Polka.

Small theatre, Big impact Key facts about Polka: Only UK theatre venue dedicated to 0-12-year-olds

£2.25 generated for every £1 of public funding

More than 3.5 million visitors since opening our doors in 1979

Internationally renowned for creating productions for under 6s

Every year Polka has:

£

Created at least 6 world-class productions

Given away 2,000+ subsidised schools’ tickets

Staged more than 20 productions

Welcomed 25,000+ pupils

Enabled 8,300 disadvantaged children to go free (11%)

Achieved 90%+ increased confidence from after school activities

Adapted performances for 1,000+ children with special needs

Pioneering Polka Polka is at the forefront of children’s theatre, both in its productions and the training it offers for practitioners.

Polka offers artists the chance to develop work for children for the first time – from Philip Pullman to Malorie Blackman. We support and develop emerging artists and partner with organisations including BBC Worldwide, Natural History Museum and Tate.

Highlights include: Error 404: a philosophy-based production which engaged children in the creative process Beasty Baby: a devised Early Years co-production with Theatre-Rites, one of The Guardian critic Lyn Gardener’s ‘Top 10 Theatre of 2015’ Dot, Squiggle and Rest: a new Early Years production with the Royal Opera House Brainwaves: the first of Polka’s biennial festivals. Featured a new work for 6-18 month old children developed in collaboration with Birkbeck University’s Baby Lab Image: Shake, Rattle and Roll (for 6-18 month olds) – developed with Birkbeck University’s Baby Lab

Polka’s need to grow Over 3.5 million children, parents, teachers and carers have visited Polka since it opened in 1979 and yet there has been no major redevelopment to date.

Our need to improve the theatre and the quality of the visitor experience for children and theatre artists is now urgent.

• Our existing building is inefficient, economically and environmentally • Capital maintenance costs for the next five years are projected at £1.2 million • Our facilities no longer match the exceptional quality of experience Polka strives to provide • We are unable to meet the increased demand for our productions, particularly for those under six • Without our redevelopment, we will be unable to embrace the future – expand to meet the growing demand from our young audiences and provide artists with greater freedom and the facilities to be adventurous and create exciting new theatre for children

Scene from Dot, Squiggle and Rest – a Polka Theatre collaboration with the Royal Opera House. Photo ©Stephen Cummisky

Designed with children in mind The redeveloped Polka Theatre will be a more magical place to visit and enable us to build on our pioneering work by creating dedicated new spaces for performance, learning, research and professional development.

• A larger and more flexible new Adventure Theatre for the under 6s in which our expertise in Early Years theatre can flourish further • A welcoming new entrance area, destination café, outdoor play area and updated garden • An on-site Rehearsal and R&D Studio greatly increasing the opportunities we can offer to emerging artists and companies from all over the UK producing work for children • A versatile, well-equipped, new creative learning studio in the heart of the building next to free indoor and outdoor play spaces and activities • New state-of-the art equipment and technologies throughout • Significantly improved disabled access

Scene from a Polka Playhouse Schools Festival performance Photo ©Ludovic Des Cognets

“Polka is a place of magic, wonder, and inspiration to any child’s imagination.”

The Sunday Times

Creating space for big imaginations

“ We have laughed, been moved to tears …and been taken to magical places… it has been the greatest gift to pass on to my children – the love of theatre…”

Polka visitor and mother of three “ I look forward to bringing grandchildren to the theatre where [my] children were so happy.”

Heather Owen, Polka parent

“ Thank you for helping us with the play. I liked all your games, the Polka theatre is wonderful and big. The concert was exciting and I think we all did well. I had lots of fun acting, playing and eating. Thank you.”

Young Polka visitor

Scene from Minotaur Photo ©Robert Workman

Taking children’s theatre into the future Our new R&D programme PolkaLab will research and develop new models of children’s theatre.

Who knows what we will invent or discover?

Artists and creatives will be given the space to push the boundaries of children’s theatre even further.

Putting the play into theatre As a leading national centre for Early Years theatre, Polka will be a hub for practitioners and creatives from across the UK.

Scene from Beasty Baby – a Theatre-Rites and Polka Theatre co-production. Photo © Robert Workman

Critical acclaim for Beasty Baby, a Theatre-Rites and Polka Theatre co-production for under 6s.

The Guardian ★ ★ ★ ★ “ … a genuinely shared experience for the whole family” The Sunday Times ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The Stage ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “ An imaginative and resourceful reflection on the roller coaster ride that is bringing up baby”

Help us inspire the imaginations of the future

“ Polka has triumphantly triggered the imaginations of generations of young audiences. Long may it continue to be a flagship for THE most important kind of theatre – theatre for children.”

David Wood, OBE National Children’s Dramatist and Polka Patron

Scene from Gorilla – adapted from a story by former Children’s Laureate, Anthony Browne. Photo © Robert Workman

We’d love to hear from you If you would like to see our plans or find out how you can support us, please contact Amanda Cropper, Development Director.

Polka Theatre 240 The Broadway London SW19 1SB

Call 020 8545 8353 Email amanda@polkatheatre.com Visit www.polkatheatre.com

“ We loved it! Can we come again?

It was like amazing!”

School visitor Polka is a registered charity no. 256979 Image: Polka redevelopment design, Foster Wilson Architects