Our impact
Mayflower Theatre Trust
Mayflower Theatre Trust is set up as a charitable trust to secure the theatre’s future as an entertainment, arts and culture venue for the local community to enjoy. We are two venues under one banner – Mayflower Theatre and Mayflower Studios.
Mayflower Theatre is an authentic, Grade-II listed Art Deco establishment in the heart of Southampton. A recent, major renovation in 2018 restored the theatre to its former romantic glory, creating the perfect backdrop for producers to bring popular West End musicals, dance, opera, drama, ballet and comedy shows to a local audience.
Audiences of 2,271 can be seated in comfort and style in a vibrant majestic setting, redolent of the 1920s era in which the theatre was built. Think Art Deco, jazz, trilbies, flappers, marcel waves and fancy automobiles. You get the drift…
In 1986, Southampton City Council set up a charitable trust to secure the theatre’s future as an entertainment, arts and culture venue for the local community to enjoy.
Surplus revenue from ticket sales and charitable donations goes to fund innovative, ambitious and inclusive community and education projects, to attract widespread interest and support from the performing arts sector and, of course, to maintain the glorious heritage of our unique, Grade II-listed theatre.
Mayflower Studios is a multi-artform venue with three creative spaces, meeting rooms, and is a home for our resident partners.
Studio 1 is our largest space, with a capacity of 449 seats. We present a mixture of touring and produced work in this studio.
Studio 2 is our most versatile space, a black box theatre with bleacher seating for 119 which can be retracted to accommodate 170 standing. Studio 2 is often used for Artist Development, Community and Youth Theatre work, including scratch and smaller scale performances.
Studio 3 is our smallest space, most commonly used for workshops, rehearsals and Youth Theatre sessions.
Our economic impact
Our economic and cultural impact on the city remains significant. In 2024-2025, we welcomed 654,058 customers to see 621 performances across both venues.
Hundreds of thousands of audience members visit each year to experience theatre and arts in a romantic, dramatic and immersive setting in our theatre, and a smaller more intimate setting in our studios. In 2024-2025, our visitors contributed £45,745,498 to the local economy. After operating costs and refurbishments, all surplus is invested into our education and participation programme and community outreach to make arts and culture accessible across the city and communities we serve.
Our environmental impact
At Mayflower, we’re committed to reducing our environmental impact, so we have embarked on a multi-year carbon cutting programme. We are proud to announce that we have achieved Green Mark certification using their environmental management system. We’re also using Theatre Green Book, the theatre sustainability experts, to help us transition to improved sustainability for our venues, operations and productions.
Climate Action
We’re listening to expert advisors and colleagues from across the industry to inform our programme and collaborating with our partners, colleagues and suppliers to reduce our carbon footprint.
By actively engaging in sustainable practices and being accountable, we’re making meaningful contributions towards environmental preservation and inspiring others to do the same. Together, we can achieve a greener future for Mayflower and our local community.
Mayflower’s Environmental & Sustainability working group are leading the charge for sustainable change – they meet every 6-8 weeks to discuss progress and make recommendations for reducing energy consumption, water usage and addressing the need to increase the level of our recycled waste.
Within our venues we are working on…
Investments
Expected to be finished in September 2025, our new rehearsal studio will contribute to energy improvements with a 95% reduction in heating demands associated with ballet rehearsals and a provision for solar and air source heat pumps to enable the future removal of gas combustion from the theatre.
In addition, we have replaced single-use plastic in our bars with reusable cups, preventing 127,000 plastic cups from going to waste each year.
Tracking our progress
Over the past year at Mayflower Theatre, we have already reduced our energy consumption by 9.8%, and since 2020 we have improved our recycling from 10.4% in 2020 per annum to more than 60%.
However, we recognise that there is still further to go, and we can’t do it without you.
We will publish our environmental impact and provide regular updates on our progress. By actively engaging in sustainable practices and fostering accountability, we strive to make meaningful contributions towards environmental preservation and inspire others to do the same. Together, we can achieve a greener future for our organisation and the communities we serve.
Our social impact
Our work continues to create meaningful opportunities for young people, removing barriers to engagement and empowering them to discover confidence, creativity and community through the arts.
Transport Subsidy
Over the last year, 1,821 students accessed our transport subsidy scheme, 58% of whom were first-time theatre goers.
‘Being the operator associated with Mayflower providing transport for students to attend the theatre, we are proud to be partnered with the venue – helping schools and community groups access experiences that will stay with them for years.’ Phil Blair (Commercial Manager, Xelabus)
Participation
Over the last year, 165 young people took part in 3 performances at Mayflower Theatre, 57 participants performed over 13 performances at Mayflower Studios, and Mayflower Youth Theatre welcomed 45 participants who took part in 5 shows at Mayflower Studios.
‘I loved the sense of working together to produce something that we could all be proud of. I liked that I was easily able to make new friends.’ Alex (participant)
Subsidies
Our subsidies supported 23% of participants in our Summer Youth Project and 20% in our Christmas Youth Production. We delivered 45,090 engagements across our participation work through workshops, talks, tours, youth productions, projects, experiences and all school matinees. We worked with over 150 schools including 51 primary schools, 69 secondary schools, 10 all-through schools, 19 further education colleges and 2 universities. We invested a total of £65,420.80 in grants, awards and subsidies, including 9 Higher Education Grants.
‘The weight off my shoulders was incredible. My confidence has skyrocketed. Instead of worrying about funding, I can focus on training, learning, and becoming the artist I want to be.’ Jade (Higher Education Tuition Fee Grant recipient)
Participation and education
Theatre influences the way we think and feel about our own lives, forcing us to examine ourselves, our values, our behaviour. It reflects the needs and desires of our communities while contributing to education and literacy. Everyone involved on both sides of the footlights – a broad mix of age, culture and life experience – share a strong passion for and appreciation of the arts. In today’s volatile cultural, economic and geopolitical climate, society needs theatre more than ever.
The programme is pivotal to our plan to make theatre the catalyst for social change in Hampshire.
Our Participation programme is a rich, imaginative and dynamic community offer that brings the magic and joy of theatre to every household in Hampshire, with our iconic, Grade II listed Theatre and modern state of the art Studios at its heart. It’s an agent for social change. And everyone’s invited.
Serendipity
72 engagements
Monthly creative workshops for adults with Autism in partnership with Autism Hampshire.
Family Fun Days
403 engagements
Arts-based activities for families throughout the year, including crafts, workshops and performances.
Community First Nights
1266 engagements
Connecting communities facing barriers to arts participation with tours and shows.
Co-construction
1079 engagements
Projects shaped entirely by participant input (e.g., New Forest Care Home, Gosport Creates).
Christmas Exhibition Takeover
442 engagements
Installation or group creating artwork
Caribbean Dance
167 engagements
Weekly social and cultural dance classes set to reggae and soca music.
Carer’s Choir
23 participants
Weekly choir sessions for carers to connect and sing together.
Summer Youth Project
To inspire a new generation in the performing arts.
An ambitious life-changing programme to nurture a love for the performing arts by giving young people the opportunity to produce and perform in a full-scale stage musical.
Christmas Youth Production
Seasonally inspired drama and arts at Mayflower Studios.
Young people from Hampshire and surrounding areas work with a team of professionals to stage a full-scale Christmas musical at Mayflower Studios. A great opportunity for young people to discover what it’s like to stage a festive show at a professional theatre.
Discover more about our Youth Projects
Nurturing and inspiring a new generation in the performing arts
The Summer Youth Project (SYP) is an ambitious life-changing programme designed to nurture a love for the performing arts and create unique opportunities for young people to take part.
It’s hands-on, immersive and character-building. It’s friendly, open and inclusive. It’s exciting, fast-paced and fun. It’s a safe space for young people to explore their creativity and find their place in the world of performing arts. A once in a lifetime chance to follow their dream.
Anyone aged 11-18 living anywhere in the county have the chance to take part in the production of a full-blown stage musical, performed live to an audience of over 2,000 people. Every year, young people from across Hampshire and nearby are invited to free auditions. 150 of them will be chosen to work with a team of professionals to stage a full-scale musical at the Mayflower Theatre.
“Everyone, regardless of whether they’re chosen, will draw something very positive from the programme,” says SYP founder and Mayflower CEO Michael Ockwell, “This isn’t just about a casting, it’s about creating a shared experience for a team of like-minded young people and setting them free to explore their love of and talent for the performing arts.”
SYP is the product of Michael’s own passion to offer young people the opportunity to engage in live theatre – he directs all the productions himself. Actors, singers, dancers, producers and stagehands get to discover the thrill of live theatre under the professional guidance of a West End veteran. Productions range from old favourites like Guys and Dolls to modern takes on popular tales such as Honk, a musical based on Hans Anderson’s timeless The Ugly Duckling.
The Summer Youth Project is an eagerly awaited annual staple in the lives of young people wanting to see if a career in theatre is right for them. They can find their niche, without having to commit to fee-paid drama school and college courses. Auditions are free and those chosen to take part pay just £225. Up to 15% of places are supported by the Mayflower Theatre’s Higher Education Subsidy Scheme – a fund created to give disadvantaged people an equal chance of making it on the stage.
Adam Woodhouse, who made his theatrical debut in the 2017 SYP production Guys and Dolls, used his subsidy to study Technical Theatre Arts at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and went on to stage manage Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella in the West End. Adam’s just one of many SYP alumni now enjoying successful careers as actors, producers and stage crew.
Our Christmas Youth Production invites local youngsters take part an authentic, immersive theatre experience, involving many weeks of rehearsals and 12 live performances. No experience is required, just an interest in learning more about the performing arts. Over 50 young people, some of whom have never even been to a show, get to audition for roles in a professional stage performance before a live paying audience.
“We invest considerable sums in our youth productions to make them as good as any professional touring show. This is our way of giving back to the community and creating real opportunities for our most deserving young people,” says Mayflower CEO Michael Ockwell, “The 2023 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ famous novella, A Christmas Carol, delivered 12 sell-out performances showcasing the magic of theatre to the widest possible audience and bringing people together from all backgrounds, all walks of life and all generations.”
Drama provides a holistic learning experience that reaches far beyond the stage, equipping our young people with vital life skills and fostering a sense of belonging, self-worth, and empowerment.
The cast of A Christmas Carol represented the widest possible social mix. “We actively seek out young talent, taking outreach workshops into local schools and colleges to find people with a passion for and interest in the performing arts,” says Sara Scott, Executive Director of Mayflower Studios, “Places are free, but it isn’t a free ride. They need to audition for parts, learn lines, sing and dance; perform complex group routines, rehearse every Sunday and commit to four months of hard work to get in shape to go out on stage for 12 live shows in December. Everyone’s welcome to just come along, be themselves and do something they love.
“For the few, it could be the beginning of an exciting career path to the West End, for the rest it’s a journey of personal growth and discovery, a chance to belong, develop relationships with like-minded people. It’s really motivating and inspiring to be able to reach into the community and give young people the freedom and space to explore their potential and go on to live happy and fulfilling lives.”
