About us
Learn more about our team, our history and the work we do across our theatres
Who are we
Eastbourne Theatres are the Congress Theatre, Devonshire Park Theatre and Winter Garden, all situated in the heart of Eastbourne’s cultural Devonshire Quarter and just a short walk from the seafront. The theatres have a combined capacity of more than 3,500 seats and play host to a variety of touring productions.
Congress Theatre
The Congress Theatre is a Grade II* listed, purpose built, theatre and conference venue designed by Bryan and Norman Westwood Architects and built in 1963.
The venue underwent extensive renovation work in 2016 including the creation of the brand new Welcome Building, which sits adjacent to the Congress Theatre.
The largest theatre on the South Coast, the Congress Theatre is host to touring West End musicals and plays, ballet, opera, comedy and live music, the range of live entertainment on offer is extensive and diverse.
The venue has a seating capacity of 1,680.
Devonshire Park Theatre
The Devonshire Park Theatre is a Grade II listed building designed by Henry Currey, built in 1884 and further improved by celebrated theatre architect Frank Matcham in 1903. It is one of the best examples of small Victorian Theatre in the country, with an ornate interior featuring decorative plaster work with scrolls and caryatids by Schmidt of Holloway.
Dubbed ‘the Playhouse in the Park’ the range of work presented at the Devonshire Park Theatre includes major touring productions by producers and theatre companies including Bill Kenwright, David Pugh, Kneehigh Theatre, The Watermill Theatre, Original Theatre Company and Blackeyed Theatre as well as working alongside local producers.
Eastbourne Theatres also produces its own pantomime, plays and musical productions at the Devonshire Park Theatre.
The venue has a seating capacity of 873.
Winter Garden
The Winter Garden is a Grade II listed building, designed by architect Henry Currey and built by the seventh Duke of Devonshire in 1875. This historic building consists of two main parts - the Floral Hall, originally used as a skating rink in winter and a concert hall in summer, and the Gold Room.
Both parts are now used for performances, cabaret style events, dinner dances and as conference venues.
The Winter Garden has recently undergone extensive renovation work to restore the venue to its former glory, work continues on the exterior faced through 2021.
The Floral Hall has a maximum theatre style seating capacity of 1,000 and the Gold Room a capacity of 400. Both spaces offer flexible seating options including cabaret and banquet style arrangements. (The Gold Room is currently not in use while it undergoes refurbishment works)
Join us
Careers
Our outstanding team work together across a number of departments and specialisms, from customer-facing roles in the Front of House and Sales teams, to Hospitality, Marketing and Technical staff.
If you think you would enjoy the challenge of working in our fast-paced, customer-focused, award-winning venue take a look at the current vacancies.
Volunteering
We are not currently looking for any volunteers.
Planning an event? We've got the space
From private parties to major productions, our iconic venues and expert team are ready for whatever you’ve got planned.
Fancy a role in the theatre?
Our cast is constantly growing and we’d love you to be part of it!
Get in touch
If you've got a question, a comment or just want to share your thoughts about our venues or a recent experience, please use the form to drop us a message or email us and we'll get back to you.
For all other queries, we'll respond as soon as possible, usually within 48 hours.