ACM Signs 20-year Lease To Operate The Electric Theatre

Published on: 22 Jun, 2017
Updated on: 22 Jun, 2017

Guildford’s Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) is now the official operator of the town’s Electric Theatre, following the lease signing today (Thursday, June 22).

The Electric Theatre, Guildford.

The performing arts venue beside the River Wey is owned by the borough council, and it chose the ACM following a formal bidding process. It is also a venue for community use. The ACM is based in the nearby Rodboro Buildings in Bridge Street.

In a council statement it noted that the review of the Electric Theatre “forms part of a wider programme of service transformation, to respond to the challenging financial environment faced by the council. The long-term lease signed by ACM secures the future of the venue as a performing arts space, and removes the operating subsidy funded by the taxpayer”.

The lease was advertised at the end of 2016. The ACM was announced as the new leaseholders in January.

Since then there has been a period of transition with the council liaising with the ACM to transfer staff and operation.

The council’s lead councillor for social welfare, heritage and the arts, Nikki Nelson-Smith, said: “We are pleased to announce that the Academy of Contemporary Music has signed the lease to operate the Electric Theatre for the next 20 years, securing the future of the venue.

“This is a positive step forward for the theatre. It will be maintained as a performing arts venue with community use – our key aim throughout the whole of this process.”