Founded in 1440, Chipping Campden School is a mixed, non-selective state school for ages 11-18. The school is rated Outstanding by Ofsted and has over 1340 students. Last summer, after eight years of planning, the school brought the curtain down on its old, inadequate performing arts facilities and commenced the building of a dedicated Performing Arts Centre. Due for completion in early 2022, the Centre will be an inspiring learning and performing space, equipped with facilities that will offer young people and our wider community experiences and opportunities they could otherwise only dream of. The Centre will encourage more students to get involved in drama, music and dance and provide our rural community with a much-needed arts centre.
The building has been designed to a high specification to ensure it serves as an arts education space and a quality facility for our community and professional touring artists. The Centre features a large auditorium, seating 320 and a separate dance/drama studio at the rear. The studio gantry has been generously funded by the Chipping Campden Community Trust. The light, welcoming public foyer will have a bar/café area and space for exhibitions for both students and local artists. The building includes three teaching/seminar rooms and dressing rooms. Outside, there will be an amphitheatre, built in the natural slope of the land adjacent to the Performing Arts Centre. This will be a unique space to enjoy outdoor community events surrounded by the beautiful Cotswold landscape.