Applications now open for Anita’s Room – a brand new creative space for artists

New space, new work

Part of the newly-refurbished Grade I and II listed Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre, Anita’s Room is fully equipped with a lighting grid, mixing desk, kitchen, office space and the latest 5G technology.

The space is designed to support works in progress and small-scale performance and events, such as research, development, writing, rehearsals, workshops and retreats, experimentation, music making and community group work.

We’ll also be making Anita’s Room available to Brighton Dome’s associate artists, our in-house artists, and national and international visiting performers.

Dame Anita Roddick

Anita’s Room is named in memory of activist, entrepreneur and founder of The Body Shop, Brighton’s own Anita Roddick. The space is made possible thanks to a generous donation from The Roddick Foundation - a family-run philanthropic organisation dedicated to the support of visionary organisations and individuals demonstrating exceptional creativity, entrepreneurial spirit and courage.

Anita’s husband, Gordon Roddick, recently visited the space, alongside the leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, Bella Sankey. Here they are with our Chief Executive, Andrew Comben:

“As part of a pilot scheme, we recently used Anita's Room to hold rehearsals for a staged reading of my work. This big, quiet, flexible space with a tidy little kitchen and its own breakout room allowed us to focus on the creative task at hand because it had everything we needed. It was a delight to come in each morning and know that this space was ours. It's not easy finding space in central Brighton for rehearsals and anyone needing an attractive, multi-use, creative space to write, read, talk or rehearse should seriously consider applying to use it. Having access to Anita's Room gave me a feeling of belonging, as if Brighton Dome belonged to me, and my work could belong in it.”

Dulani Kulasinghe Writer