It’s safe to say it’s been another extraordinary year at the Hippodrome.

When we launched our five-year plan in 2023, our core ambitions included creating original productions with a focus on new musicals, establishing a new artistic hub, reducing barriers to transformative arts and culture experiences and continuing to maintain our wonderful theatre for the next 125 years and beyond.

We are immensely proud at not only these ambitions coming to life, but for those ambitions to being bringing joy and goosebumps moments to so many people.

Over half a million visitors enjoyed a production on our beautiful main stage, and thousands more have engaged with new cultural experiences through our work with young people, communities and new audiences. We produced three phenomenal festivals, reaching 200,000 people. More regional artists participated in our groundbreaking artist development programmes. Our (award-winning!) new musical Hot Mess toured to Edinburgh and London. It’s been an incredible year.

This marks my fourth annual review since joining the Hippodrome. Each year, I am always amazed and inspired by what has been achieved across the organisation. I would like to thank our teams, volunteers and our Board of Trustees, along with our funders, producers, members, stakeholders and partners who help bring our ambitions as an independent charity to life.

I hope you enjoy reading through just a selection of highlights from the last year, and we can’t wait to share our next plans with you.

Jon Gilchrist, Artistic Director & CEO