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About Storyhouse

Storyhouse is a charity, an independent arts centre and creative hub.

Every £ we make goes back into Storyhouse, to keep our space free and open, and change lives in our communities. The longer you stay, the more you’ll discover.

This house is your house.

Our mission and values

Here, culture is owned by everyone. We work every day to be a creative home for our communities.

  • Listen closely – true empathy takes effort. So we work hard to understand different points of view,
  • Look around – opportunities can be spotted by anyone, anywhere, at anytime. So we always have our eyes, ears and minds wide open.
  • Speak up – not everyone’s stories have been told. So we use our voices to amplify those that haven’t been heard.
  • Stand up – debate and discussion make things better for us all. So we don’t shy away from a challenge.
  • Reach out – diverse perspectives solve the hardest problems and make the best decisions. So we seek them out, and invite them in.

Our artistic policy


Storyhouse’s artistic policy is to Tell the World Stories and we believe in the power of stories to create understanding within and between communities, spark creativity and allow people to feel seen and heard. We are committed to creating and presenting outstanding artistic opportunities for everyone.

We are an independent arts centre and creative hub in Chester in the North West of England which incorporates a library, mid-scale theatre, studio theatre and a cinema. We also run an open-air theatre every summer in the city’s Grosvenor Park.

Find out more

Our spaces


Our partners


 

Storyhouse is proud to work in partnership with many organisations, locally, regionally and nationally, collaborating to achieve the maximum impact in terms of public benefit.

Here are some of our existing partners – if you would like to join them, please get in touch with Jade Palmer, Head of Corporate Affairs, jade.palmer@storyhouse.com

Kaleidoscope is all about celebrating neurodiversity and everyone's unique talents.

Arts Council England

Arts Council England (ACE) is the national development agency for creativity and culture. Storyhouse is part of ACE’s National Portfolio of regularly funded organisations, receiving c£228,000 per annum to support activities that deliver against their 10 year strategy, Let’s Create. Our work contributes to the strategy’s three key outcomes: Creative People, Cultural Communities and A Creative and Cultural Country.

Cheshire West & Chester

Storyhouse is a strategic partner to Cheshire West & Chester, receiving investments of c£1.1m per annum to support activity contributing to all six of the mission’s set out in the Borough Plan: Starting well, Tackling hardship and poverty, Resilient people living their best lives, Opportunity in a fair, local economy, Neighbourhood pride and Greener Communities.

Chester BID

As supporters of Chester BID (Business Improvement District), we work closely with colleagues across the city on initiatives such as promotional campaigns, management of anti-social behaviour, Christmas activities and shared training.

Chester Zoo

Storyhouse is pleased to support Chester Zoo’s Sustainable Palm Oil Communities. This fantastic conservation campaign was launched in 2017 and just two years later, Chester became the world’s first Sustainable Palm Oil City. Storyhouse has committed to ensuring that the palm oil in any of the products we use is only drawn from sustainable sources.

One City Plan

The One City Plan sets out a vision for how the public, private and voluntary sector are working together to make in Chester a fairer, stronger and greener city. These ambitions align to Storyhouse’s own and we will continue to work with partners across the city to help deliver the plan.

West Cheshire Culture Partnership

Storyhouse is proud to join colleagues from across the borough’s creative and cultural sector to develop a joined-up approach to campaigning for more engagement and more investment in culture in the region. The Partnership is free to join and open to cultural partners, freelance creatives and organisations to help shape a Culture Manifesto for the future. You can read more about the Partnership and how to join  here.

 

Fallen Angels Dance Theatre

Fallen Angels Dance Theatre is our company in residence.

It is a unique dance company and charity, that seeks to integrate professional productions with people who have lived experience of addiction recovery and/or mental health challenges from Fallen Angels community activity.

They are the only dance company in the UK that focuses their artistic work on addiction recovery.

 

MerseyDee Collective

Storyhouse is delighted to be working with Cheshire Dance, Theatre Porto and Theatre Clwyd to support creative freelancers working in all aspects of performance and arts engagement. The MerseyDee Collective was launched in October 2024 and is designed to build networks and help freelancers find opportunities to sustain their careers. For more details, click here.

West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

Storyhouse is a member of the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, which is the leading organisation representing the business community across the whole of West Cheshire and North Wales. We are pleased to benefit from the advice, support and advocacy provided by the Chamber to support businesses to improve commercial growth and prosperity.

That Beer Place

Storyhouse works in partnership with That Beer Place to deliver the annual Chester Craft Beer Expo and other unique and exciting events that celebrate some of the best beers and ciders around.

That Beer Place is an award-winning bottle shop, bar, and event space—a true haven for beer and cider lovers. Situated on vibrant Foregate Street in Chester’s city centre, it is known for its warm and inclusive atmosphere. It’s a place where everyone can discover and savour an ever-changing selection of exceptional drinks. With Lisa and Dale Lord at the helm, their love for beer and cider shines through, making every event a fun and memorable experience.