Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts

Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts A multi-disciplinary arts space We host residencies for artists to develop new work.

An interdisciplinary arts hub connecting University of Sussex to Brighton & Hove and the wider national and international art community. The Grade II* listed building was originally designed by Basil Spence and has been recently refurbished to include a flexible auditorium seating 348 (or standing configuration 500), studio spaces and a cafe-bar. The public programme includes performances (theatre, dance, live art), film, live music (classical & contemporary), digital practices.

📢 Just announced: We Were HereWednesday 7 October, 7pmWe Were Here is an award-winning documentary by Fred Kudjo Kuwornu...
25/08/2026

📢 Just announced: We Were Here
Wednesday 7 October, 7pm

We Were Here is an award-winning documentary by Fred Kudjo Kuwornu which sheds light on the overlooked presence of African and Black individuals in Renaissance Europe, highlighting their depiction in masterpieces by some of the era’s most celebrated artists.

Before the screening there will be an introduction by filmmaker Fred Kudjo Kuwornu and afterwards there will be a discussion and audience Q&A.

Presented at Attenborough Centre in partnership with Black at Sussex as part of Black History Month UK

Find out more and book tickets here: https://www.attenboroughcentre.com/events/5780/we-were-here

18/08/2026

Peek behind the velvet curtain of The Dirty Work by Jo Bannon with this magical new trailer 👀🪄

Coming to the Attenborough Centre on Thursday 1 October for one very special performance, Jo Bannon invites you to glimpse a world where truth and illusion, performance and reality converge.

Find out more at and book tickets here: https://www.attenboroughcentre.com/events/5761/jo-bannon-the-dirty-work/

Trailer by Ethan Folk.

The Dirty Work is part of Blind Magic: A triptych of artworks exploring the performativity of visual impairment. A film Passing, an installation Sleight of Hand and live performance The Dirty Work created by Jo Bannon.

We’re excited to announce that support for Emptyset on Wednesday 4 November comes from Simon Parris.Simon Parris is a Lo...
29/07/2026

We’re excited to announce that support for Emptyset on Wednesday 4 November comes from Simon Parris.

Simon Parris is a London-based artist, Music Director and DJ, with a background in the art world. In 2025 he scored the film 'The Insatiable Appetite of Lady Jane Grey' directed by Saskia Dixie and put out his debut music release 'heavy night waits on the dawn', to which he's currently working on a follow-up. He hosts an eponymous show on NTS Radio blending and rearranging cross-genre music from "then and now".

Book tickets here: https://attenboroughcentre.com/events/5732/emptyset

Simon Parris photo credit: Sarah Piantadosi.
Emptyset photo credit: Philomène Pirecki.

Peek behind the velvet curtain of The Dirty Work, a new solo performance by Jo Bannon coming to Attenborough Centre for ...
01/06/2026

Peek behind the velvet curtain of The Dirty Work, a new solo performance by Jo Bannon coming to Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts on 1 October 🐇

Blending the trickery of magic with Bannon’s lived experience of visual impairment, The Dirty Work invites you to glimpse a world where truth and illusion, performance and reality converge.

Using delicate choreography and magician’s patter, Bannon unveils the invisible labour that shapes how we navigate the world through a disability lens.

Say ‘white rabbit’ three times, and see the magic unfold before your very eyes!

Book tickets now here: https://attenboroughcentre.com/events/5761/jo-bannon-the-dirty-work?_gl=1*9vpq4e*_ga*MTc5NTk0MjYzMC4xNzY3ODg0NDgx*_ga_D65L05T0VT*czE3ODAzMDI5OTkkbzk1JGcxJHQxNzgwMzA5NjYxJGo2MCRsMCRoMA..

06/05/2026

"We need more theatre like this"

Audiences at Battersea Arts Centre - BAC loved Second Trimester and we can't wait for it to hit Attenborough Centre this Monday 11 May for one very special performance as part of Brighton Festival.

In Second Trimester, trans performance artist Krishna Istha and his mother, Geetha Shankar, confront pregnancy, loss, gender, and the weight of inherited memories.

Using cameras, projections and a bespoke coded interface built for the show, Geetha and Krishna make live choices each night together, constructing a cinematic, Bollywood-inspired epic family saga.

Book tickets now: https://www.attenboroughcentre.com/events/5707/krishna-istha-second-trimester/

30/04/2026

What can audiences expect from Mr Blackpool? 🤔

With just a week to go until opening night, we asked Harry Clayton-Wright what delights await attendees of his theatrical extravaganza, presented as part of Brighton Festival.

Expect cabaret, magic, dance, drag and pyro. This is cultural archaeology and satire at its campiest, presented in lurid technicolor 🌈

Book tickets now here: https://attenboroughcentre.com/events/5698/harry-clayton-wright-mr-blackpool

Presented in partnership with Marlborough Productions

Interview by Sussex University student Ronni Arrowsmith in the ACCA cafe.

Emptyset bring their groundbreaking and acclaimed audiovisual show to Attenborough Centre for a special one-off performa...
22/04/2026

Emptyset bring their groundbreaking and acclaimed audiovisual show to Attenborough Centre for a special one-off performance on Wednesday 4 November.

A multidisciplinary production project developed by James Ginzburg and Paul Purgas, Emptyset explore the sonic possibilities of electroacoustic and computer music, materiality and performance.

Emptyset’s sixth album Dissever (Thrill Jockey, May 23, 2025) builds on their ongoing exploration into the histories of electronic sound and media across the 20th century, considering the intertwined evolution of cosmic rock, minimalism and electronic music, viewed through their prospective dreams and overlapping technological ambitions.

Book tickets now: https://attenboroughcentre.com/events/5732/emptyset

20/04/2026

"You will see a very beautiful bond between a mother and a q***r child"

Krishna Istha and his mother, Geetha Shankar, took time out of rehearsals to discuss Second Trimester and the circumstances surrounding their decision to make a show which confronts pregnancy, loss, gender, and the weight of inherited memories.

Second Trimester comes to Attenborough Centre for a special one-off show on Monday 11 May as part of Brighton Festival.

Using cameras, projections and a bespoke coded interface, Geetha and Krishna make live choices during the show together, constructing a cinematic, Bollywood-inspired epic family saga.

Find out more and book tickets here: https://www.attenboroughcentre.com/events/5707/krishna-istha-second-trimester

We’re looking to for an Artistic Programme Manager to join our team.The Artistic Programme Manager will play an essentia...
15/04/2026

We’re looking to for an Artistic Programme Manager to join our team.

The Artistic Programme Manager will play an essential part of Attenborough Centre’s future. Working closely with the Head of Cultural Programmes & Engagement, this role will work to develop the centre’s programme of high quality and engaging performances and events that connect with a broad range of audiences, including our students.

Find out more about the role and apply here: https://jobs.sussex.ac.uk/job/47d4df03-d908-4d8b-87fb-4dd89ce4c836

Address

/Gardner Center Road
Brighton And Hove
BN19RA

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+441273678822

Website

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