Pierce Brosnan fronts Ovalhouse campaign

Bond and Mamma Mia star Pierce Brosnan has become the face of a major fundraising campaign to relocate the arts centre Ovalhouse to Brixton.

Brosnan began his career as an actor after quitting his job as a graphic designer aged 16 to become part of The Ovalhouse Theatre Company. Other alumni include Tim Roth, Stephen Rea, David Hare, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Meera Syal.

Ovalhouse has been opposite the Oval Cricket Ground for 50 years and is home to experimental theatre and performance. The company have now outgrown this space, however, and will be moving to Brixton in 2017. The move will be part of the Somerleyton Road Project, a community partnership that will see new homes and a new theatre in the centre of Brixton.

To fund the move, the company is embarking on a fundraising campaign which will be driven through a series of fundraising events, individual and corporate donations all fronted by Brosnan. The company have also applied to Arts Council England for support to create the new theatre.

The new theatre will offer two theatre spaces plus seven multi-use accessible studios – for rehearsal, participatory work and community activities. There will also be an increased range of training within the youth leadership programmes, ensuring professional opportunities and cross transferable skills for local young people.

Brosnan commented: "I am deeply honoured to be a Patron of the Ovalhouse Theatre; it's where it all began for me back in 1971. I found a home in the arts, within the walls of the Ovalhouse. It was a powerful first step for a 16 year-old Irishman who was not sure of where the next step in life would take him.

"I found a place where I could dream and be part of a community that made me come alive. Now, a whole new generation is about to discover a new Ovalhouse Theatre in the heart and soul of Brixton."

Deborah Bestwick, director of Ovalhouse added: "Ovalhouse has such a long history of success, having launched individual artists like Pierce Brosnan, theatre companies from Gay Sweatshop to Graeae and whole theatre movements from experimental to agit prop. But we can't allow our old, much loved building to hold us back. The partnership with Lambeth has enabled us to work with local people to design a building which is inspiring and enables the highest aspirations for artistic excellence".