Great British Theatres Awards announce presenters and line-up

James Graham, Janie Dee, Gary Kemp, Siobhan Redmond, Tobias Turley, Shanay Holmes, Hammed Animashaun and Zoë Armer are among the presenters announced for the inaugural Great British Theatres Awards.

Hosted by Marisha Wallace, the ceremony will take place at Central Hall Westminster on 2 November 2026 as part of Theatres Trust’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

Graham, whose plays include Dear England, Quiz and This House, will present the Great British Theatres Lifetime Achievement Award to Julie Hesmondhalgh in recognition of her work as an advocate for theatre. Dee will present the Great Green Theatre Award, which recognises theatres working in environmental responsibility and sustainability.

Keziah Ibe will perform “I Could Have Danced All Night” from Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of My Fair Lady (the theatre is nominated for the Great New Build and Great Green Theatre awards) while  Polka Theatre, which is shortlisted for the Great Community Connection and Great Public Space awards, will give a preview of its upcoming production of Peter Pan. Rob Eckland will direct the evening’s musical performances.

The awards follow nearly 200 nominations from across the UK and will recognise theatres and individuals across categories covering architecture, renovation, sustainability, community engagement and placemaking (you can see the full shortlist below).

The inaugural ceremony is produced by Green Room Ents Ltd in partnership with Theatres Trust, the national advice and advocacy body for the UK’s theatres.

Full shortlist

Great New Build

@sohoplace, London
BEAM, Hertford
Brixton House, London
The Nest, Chichester Festival Theatre
Shakespeare North, Prescot

Great Renovation

The Arts Theatre, Cambridge
Bradford Live, Bradford
Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
The Granville Theatre, Ramsgate

Great Amateur Theatre

The Questors Theatre, London
Seaford Little Theatre, East Sussex
Sherborne Studio Theatre, Dorset
The Swan, Yeovil

Great Found Space

The Dipping House, Stoke-on-Trent
Front Room Theatre, Weston-super-Mare
The Horton, Epsom
Lower Marsh Arts Club (formerly The Glitch), London
Nyth, Bangor

Great Community Connection

Cast, Doncaster
Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
Derby Theatre, Derby
Eden Court, Inverness
Hoxton Hall, London
Polka Children’s Theatre, London
The Theatre Chipping Norton
Wolverhampton Grand, Wolverhampton

Great Use of Space

Alexandra Palace, London – for its innovative use of its auditorium
Battersea Arts Centre, London – for its building takeovers
National Theatre, London – for the Natural Dye and Wellbeing Garden
Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth – for Summer in the Scene Dock

Great Placemaking Partner

Glasgow City Council
Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Lambeth Council
London Borough of Harrow

Great Green Theatre

Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester
Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre, Dundee
New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Nottingham Playhouse

Great Public Space

Gosforth Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne – for its café
Live Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne – for its community garden
Polka Children’s Theatre, London – for the Y C Chan Playden
Storyhouse, Chester – for its social spaces

Great British Theatres Shining Star

The Amulet Centre Limited
Leith Theatre Trust
Daniel Shrimpton, Joseph Rowntree Theatre
Graham Whitlock, Manor Pavilion Theatre