Birmingham Rep has UK’s warmest welcome

We are thrilled to announce that Birmingham Rep is one of just THREE venues to be shortlisted for this year’s prestigious Most Welcoming Theatre title at the 2025 UK Theatre Awards.

The UK Theatre Awards are the premier awards for regional theatre across the UK, and a highly anticipated annual celebration of outstanding achievements and creative excellence  in the nation’s vibrant theatre scene. The nomination in itself is a huge accolade and a reflection of the brilliantly welcoming and inclusive Front Of House environment and audience experience that all of Team Rep aim to create, but especially our Customer Experience, Box Office, Catering, Security, Housekeeping and Stage Door Teams who are the backbone of this nomination.

Other nominees for 2025 include Royal & Derngate and Shakespeare North Playhouse, and the winner will be selected at the UK Theatre Awards ceremony which takes place in London later this year, on Sunday 12 October.

Shortlisted venues are judged against their commitment to accessibility, outreach projects and interactions with theatregoers, staff, freelancers and the local community.

This nomination has been a brilliant addition to this landmark year at The Rep, where over the last 12-months we’ve achieved record high attendance figures; produced and hosted multiple sold-out productions; and engaged with thousands of people of all ages from across Birmingham and the wider region through their extensive Creative Learning and Talent Development programmes.

We aim to continue our objective to improve access to arts for people across Birmingham and the West Midlands including hosting an Access Forum and partnering with Nimbus Disability to improve service for their access visitors, providing free tickets for young people and low-income households. Our year-round engagement programme provides creative opportunities for young people, refugees and asylum seekers, community groups and local artists and creatives.

In a joint statement, Our Chief Executive, Rachael Thomas and Artistic Director, Joe Murphy, said:

We are committed to making our venue open to all and a place where everyone feels welcome.

“This nomination reflects a whole Team Rep effort, everyone here truly cares about providing our visitors, audiences and participants unforgettable experiences and ensure creative opportunities are available to as many people as possible across our diverse communities.

“We are thrilled to be shortlisted for the Most Welcoming Theatre and want to thank our audiences, supporters and incredible team who make The Rep such a welcoming theatre for everyone.”