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Our Vision The vision of LAR is to be a leading rural arts, entertainment and community centre, renowned for its diverse and stimulating programme, friendly atmosphere and accessibility to all. Mission Statement To provide a welcoming arts and community venue offering a range of high quality arts and entertainment events and activities to suit all ages and tastes and with an emphasis on working in partnership with the local community. Within this framework, and through our ongoing education programme, to promote a cultural experience which enriches people's lives and broadens their knowledge and appreciation of the arts in all its forms. Our Values * Quality in our programme of activities * Equality of opportunity and access for our audiences, staff and volunteers * Working in partnership with the local community and local regional organisations Team Purpose The purpose of the Ludlow Assembly Rooms staff team is to provide a friendly, responsive and efficient service to everyone. The History Assembly Rooms are places where people meet for pleasure. They became popular in the 18th century and were used for social gatherings, including balls, card parties and concerts. Ludlow Castle had long been a venue for such events but from the 1720's these were held in 'the long room' of the Market Hall. A dedicated Assembly Rooms for Ludlow was proposed in the 1830's and with £6000 raised by public subscription the 'Public Rooms' were opened on 2 July 1840. With displays, concerts and dances the Rooms soon became the focus in Ludlow.
The Picture House was very popular during World War 2. The museum section was disbanded in the 1950's and in the 1980's it became a nightclub. With the loss of the Town Hall and the Clifton Cinema in the 1980's Ludlow looked for ways to replace those amenities. OSCA (Old Street Cinema Action) and the Town Council realised the decayed Assembly Rooms had potential. The Ludlow and District Community Association (LDCA) was formed and in September 1988 took a short lease on the first floor of the old museum (now Oscars and The Studio). In 1989 the Town Council leased those parts of the Assembly Rooms occupied by the Starline Club. A joint Town Council and LDCA committee was formed to drive the project forward.
The buildings which opened on 31st May 1993 were the upper floors of the former Assembly Rooms and Museum building, now linked by a multi-storey infill block to accommodate a ticker office, resteraunts, main staircase and lift.
The main auditorium (the former ballroom) has seating for 291 people, and is used for cinema, theatre, music and talks. The balcony has been retained at one end and a stage at the other. A lottery grant in 1996 allowed the conversion of the upper storey of the former museum building into two floors. The lower floor was called OSCARS (after the 1980's action group) and has room for 200 people. It is used for dinners, lectures, discos, parties etc. The upper floor known as 'The Studio' is a similar space and is used for workshops, dance and exhibitions. In the years that have passed since the Assemby Rooms opened its doors in 1993, the vnue has played host to an extraordinary diverse programme of creative events. As the only arts and entertainment centre in a large rural area, the key challenge is to offer a programme that has something for everyone. Whether it be live music, dance, film, theatre, comedy, club nights, exhibitions, talks or workshops the programme ethos is underpinned by a desire for high quality and cultural diversity, striving for the right balance of challenging and contemporary arts events mixed with crowd pulling old favourites. At the Assembly Rooms, an evening of live experimental hip-hop is valued as highly as a performance by an orchestra. With the invaluable help of our volunteers, support from the Friends and local businesses, audience numbers has grown steadily throughout the years pulling in annual visitor numbers in excess of 140,000 in 2002. Box office figures show that approxmately 60% of audiences come from Shropshire, 15% from Hereford,and the rest from Worcester, Wales and further afield. Since Ludlow was designated as a Heritage Centre and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty people come from all over the world for walks, food and sightseeing whilst also being able to take advantage of events at the Assembly Rooms. Company Registration Number 2699283
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Box Office telephone: 01584 878141 © Ludlow Assembly Rooms 2006. Designed & built by think graphic design | |
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