How we’re creating exciting new participatory spaces outdoors

16th April 2021

This week we started creating a welcoming outdoor space to enable us to deliver open air, in-person sessions with our regular participants.

The area, currently under construction in the far corner of the car park, will give us greater flexibility in being able to host sessions with participants safely on-site during the transition back to the building.

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s been happening…  

Firstly, the holly bushes and foliage had to be pruned to clear the area and make it all safe.

Once this was completed, rubber flooring was placed to create a comfortable area to walk and sit on.

Deputy Stage Manager Kate Wilcock and Sound and Lighting Technician Alex Day have been making the area look pretty with bunting and strings of solar festoon lighting. Sheds have been moved to the area to provide storage for sessions, where required, and our workshop team are in the process of making some wooden barriers and a ramp to improve accessibility. Soon there will be log seating installed, along with cosy touches like beanbags.

The New Vic’s Head of Design Lis Evans has been on site to oversee the design and will return next week to arrange the furniture items in the area in liaison with our Youth Theatre Director Kat Hughes, as rehearsals begin for their National Theatre Connections play, A series of public apologies (in response to an unfortunate incident in the school lavatories) by John Donnelly. The Youth Theatre cast will be using this outside area to rehearse and film sections of the piece.

The creation of this outdoor space is happening quickly, and has been a real team effort, with lots of different departments involved. It’s exciting to have more spaces available to deliver our work and keep people engaged.

So watch this (outdoor) space, and we look forward to welcoming you back round ours (outside or inside!) soon.