The Lighthouse

Lighthouse stands in Poole, Dorset, as the largest arts centre in the United Kingdom outside London. It contains a 669-seat theatre, a 1,500-seat concert hall, a 130-seat studio, a 103-seat cinema, a large gallery for photography and art, a restaurant and four function rooms. The concert hall is home to the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. It sits opposite Poole Bus Station and the Dolphin Shopping Centre. The centre opened in 1978 as Poole Arts Centre and closed in 2002 for an £8.5 million refurbishment. It reopened in 2002 under its current name after extensive modernisation.

Lighthouse receives funding from Arts Council England, with grants rising from £230,000 in 2005/06 to £339,080 in 2007/08. The Poole Arts Trust Ltd owns the building. Its programme ranges from mid-scale musical tours and opera to dance, ballet and plays. Comedy and pantomime are also presented, including a 2006/07 production of Cinderella starring Bobby Crush, Peter Duncan and Brian Cant. The cinema shows an eclectic mix of world cinema alongside recent releases.

Visitors find a 103-seat cinema, a large gallery for photography and art, and a restaurant. The concert hall hosts weekly performances by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and regular appearances by the Wessex Youth Orchestra. The studio presents small-scale theatre for children and adults. The theatre stages musicals such as Fame and Blood Brothers, operas, contemporary and classical dance, and plays from classics to modern kitchen-sink dramas. Bands and artists who have performed in the concert hall include Kiss, The Clash, Kate Bush, Oasis, U2 and Tina Turner.