Who we are
Gosforth Civic Theatre is the only public-facing theatre in the UK founded and guided by people with learning disabilities. Our aim is to reduce social exclusion and division by bringing people together through shared cultural, creative, and community activity, while creating meaningful opportunities for people with learning disabilities to participate, work, and contribute.
Our income from ticket sales, space rental, donations and food and drink sales is used to provide opportunities for young people and people with learning disabilities to train, perform, and belong, ultimately creating the world they want to live in. In the words of Ozzy, one of our founding members, we opened the theatre because;
“Historically society has created places for people with learning disabilities to go, at Gosforth Civic Theatre, people with learning disabilities are creating a place where everyone can come together.”
It’s an important message that, there are places where people can come together, can share their jokes, their stories, what concerns them, discuss the way the world is. We are social animals, we need places to meet, to talk, to have a drink, to have a laugh. This looks like a good place where people can be that.
Ken Loach (At the screening of 'Spirit of '45 At Gosforth Civic Theatre Aug 2016)
