Care for a working 1901 theatre
Planned maintenance, specialist inspections and essential repairs that keep a 1901 theatre safe, open and welcoming.
125 years behind us · a future to fund
Keep the curtain rising.
Help us raise £125,000 for the people, programmes and practical work that turn a treasured 1901 building into a living theatre.
Make your gift to the £125k campaign
A theatre is more than a building. It is the people who unlock the doors, teach the children and make the curtain rise.
125 years of history. One future to fund.
The Pavilion has stood on Gorleston's seafront since 1901. But heritage alone cannot keep young people's places affordable or meet the everyday costs of running a responsible charity.
Our £125,000 campaign will give this independent theatre the people, capacity and breathing room to build a durable future—supporting skilled staff, safeguarding, teaching, administration and essential maintenance.
A special 125th birthday message
Congratulations from Sir Stephen Fry
Sir Stephen Fry celebrates 125 years of the Gorleston Pavilion Theatre and sends his warmest wishes for the next chapter of our story.
People before bricks
Help keep Stage School learning, creating and performing
Young people aged 4–18 come here to learn drama, singing and musical theatre—but the real outcomes reach further: confidence, discipline, friendships and the feeling that the arts might belong to them.
Support helps meet the year-round work behind every class and production: planning the timetable, paying teachers and creatives, safeguarding students, organising rehearsals and keeping families informed. It gives the team the capacity to turn weekly sessions into an ambitious, lasting programme.
Meet our Stage SchoolOur 125th year
A birthday worth celebrating—and building on
Our anniversary has brought staff, volunteers, performers and audiences together across the theatre and bandstand. The campaign turns that celebration into something lasting: the capacity to keep welcoming people long after the candles are blown out.
Meet our fundraisers
Personal challenges, shared purpose
Jo and Luke are each going the extra mile for the Pavilion. Follow Jo’s forthcoming wing walk and look back on Luke’s completed 125K challenge.
125th anniversary fundraiser
Jo’s wing walk for the Pavilion
Support volunteer Jo as she takes fundraising to new heights this September.
Meet Jo and support her
125th anniversary challenge · completed
Luke’s 125K challenge
Look back on Luke’s completed 125-kilometre challenge for the Pavilion.
Read Luke’s storyA stronger organisation
What £125,000 gives us the power to do
The campaign will strengthen the whole organisation. Funds will be directed to the areas of greatest need across our people, programmes, operations and historic building.
Run Stage School well
Help meet the people and programme costs behind weekly teaching, safeguarding, planning, productions and communication with families.
Employ skilled people fairly
Paid creative, technical and operational hours—the human expertise every performance, class and event depends upon.
Strengthen the charity behind the curtain
Finance, payroll, insurance, compliance, systems and fundraising capacity: the essential work that makes a responsible charity possible.
Keep participation accessible
Support to keep creative opportunities within reach and help more local people take part, not simply watch from the sidelines.
Plan ahead instead of firefighting
Build the capacity to manage rising costs, respond to the unexpected and make confident plans for the theatre’s future.
Every contribution belongs
A big target, with many ways to be part of it
£125,000 is ambitious. We know not everyone can make a large gift—and nobody needs to. Small donations, regular support, shares and larger gifts from those able to give more can build this campaign together.
Give what works for you
Every pound helps. A one-off gift of any size becomes part of the collective effort to keep the Pavilion thriving.
Make a donationJoin our community lottery
From every £1 weekly ticket, at least 50p supports our work—and you could win a top prize of £25,000.
Explore the lotteryHelp the appeal travel
A personal introduction can reach someone new, including people who may be able to make a larger gift.
Share the campaignGiving from outside the UK? The donation form charges in pounds; your card provider will handle the currency conversion.