Santa’s Grotto was open on 18th & 19th December when more than 150 excited children (and carers!) came to meet him. Every child received a present and told a socially distanced Santa of their Christmas hopes and dreams.
None of this would have been possible without the wonderful generosity of SLOANE STANLEY who paid for the whole event. The expressions on the children’s faces as they received their presents were a joy to see and so were the parent’s faces when they realised it really was free!
Clearly demonstrating no one is too old for a visit to Santa we were delighted to see Mayor Hargreaves and our local police all coming to share their secrets! But a big thank you to the children for coming as they were even more important.
Local residents meeting Santa at his Grotto in Chelsea Theatre
Our thanks go to SLOANE STANLEY not only for their generosity, but also for their patience in supporting us with every twist of the way as ideas failed and the law changed.
We must also thank Kensington and Chelsea Council for their support, very rapid responses and advice as plans changed. A simple plan of a small choir and a Grotto rapidly changed with moves into Tier 2, then Tier 3 and finally Tier 4 when, very sadly, we had to close on the Sunday to ensure Santa and everyone remained safe.
Finally, a big thank you to all the volunteers who made a great team to put on this event, be it front of house, or back stage in the Elves’ present wrapping department.
We wish you all well and a very Happy and Healthy New Year. Please keep in touch for news of more events at Chelsea Theatre.
Not The End of the World – Arts Council England, Chelsea Theatre & West10Arts
Date: 23 November 2020
This is an Arts Council England and Chelsea Theatre initiative to document the stories of the residents living and working at one of London’s most iconic housing estates. Read more..
Come and join us on this journey of discovery. Be a part of this exciting project and tell us about yourself, living in these unprecedented times and what living at The World’s End Estate means to you.
This documentary film project will give future generations an insight into your life experiences and your community.
We are looking for people to partake in a 30 to 60 minute recorded discussion with Olivier and Evening Standard Award Winning Director Javier De Frutos
The discussions will be online and conducted using the Zoom platform to record your story, all we need you to do is make yourself comfortable, log in and talk to us from the ease of your own home.
WE ALL HAVE A STORY……LET IT BE SHARED!
Please come and join us to discover something new about each other and celebrate the rich diversity of the people and community living at The World’s End Estate.
For more information, please email the project’s dedicated website: info@chelseatheatre.uk
Worlds End Christmas Tree
Date: 20 November 2020
It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas this week at the Chelsea Theatre, with an enormous Community Christmas Tree being installed outside our newly refurbished building in the centre of the piazza. Read more..
Funded by Kensington & Chelsea Council’s ‘City Living, Local Life’ grant, which supports local people make their area a better place to live, the Community Christmas Tree and its lights will be on display all day and night throughout the festive season.
For more information about the Chelsea Theatre’s Christmas plans – including Santa’s Grotto, Carol Singing and distributing gifts and support parcels to local families – please keep an eye on our website and signup to our regular e-newsletter on our homepage.
Black History Month at Chelsea Theatre – Celebrating Our Unsung Heroes
Date: 26 October 2020
The Chelsea Theatre proudly celebrated Black History Month by organising a community project and exhibition championing the culture and achievements of local people of Black British, African and Caribbean descent who go about their daily lives working hard to help and empower our society. Read more..
Funded by a grant awarded by Kensington & Chelsea Council’s Culture Department, Unsung Black Heroes centred on photographing black unsung heroes from the Worlds End & Cremorne Estates in Chelsea. All heroes were nominated by the local community for their outstanding contribution to society.
Matt Uberoi, who organised the project and exhibition as Community Project Manager at the Chelsea Theatre, said: “Local teachers and community workers rightfully deserve their place next to important historical black figures such as Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks because their work is just as important to our community”.
Portraits of our Unsung Black Heroes were exhibited in the newly refurbished Chelsea Theatre on the Worlds End Estate between Monday 26 October and Saturday 31 October during Black History Month.
Owing to COVID-19 and lockdown restrictions, the exhibition is also displayed online through a dedicated website throughout the year to reach a wider audience. This can be found at www.unsungblackheroes.com
A Day in Your Life – Photography Competition by Alison Jackson
Date: 5 October 2020
Chelsea Theatre were delighted to exhibit the ‘A Day in Your Life’ photography competition, founded by BAFTA and award-winning artist Alison Jackson who is also a Trustee of our organisation. Read more..
The community-minded photography competition was for budding talent and aspiring photographers within the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. The photographs look to represent how best to sum up a day in the lives of residents in these extraordinary times – from celebrating Black History Month, living with disability and supporting friends, families or local businesses during lockdown.
More information about the exhibition, including details of the winners of the competition, can be found at www.dayinyourlife.co.uk
In this photo: Background: Cllr Gerrard Hargreaves the Mayor of Kensington & Chelsea and artist Allison Jackson. Foreground: Competition winners.
Light Show at Chelsea Theatre
Date: 2 October 2020
A spectacular light show from the roof of Chelsea Theatre marked the opening of Kensington and Chelsea Art Week, a Borough wide-celebration of the diversity and heritage of Art and Culture in Kensington and Chelsea. Read more..
Councillor Gerard Hargreaves, Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea, braved the rain to watch the display of coloured lights and searchlights which highlighted the Theatre and iconic towers of the World’s End Estate designed by Eric Lyons.
With the Mayor were Cllr Emma Will, Cllr Alison Jackson, a Trustee of Chelsea Theatre, Pamela Morris-Sykes, Chair of the Trustees and fellow Trustee John Rendall.
Also present were the Director of K&C Art Week, Vestalia Chilton, and the Producer Rebecca Gremmo with Jono Kenyon whose company Beam Lighting Design created the display which continued every evening for a week.
Cllr Gerard Hargreaves, Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea
Jono Kenyon from Beam Lighting Design adjusting the search lights
The Light Show at the Chelsea Theatre
Vestalia Chilton, Director of K&C Art Week
Rebecca Gremmo, Producer of K&C Art Week, and Cllr Gerard Hargreaves, Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea
