Battersea Arts Centre
Battersea Arts Centre is a London performance venue and producing organisation based in the former Battersea Town Hall.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Battersea Arts Centre, commonly known as BAC, is a performance venue, theatre producer and cultural organisation in Battersea, south-west London. It occupies the former Battersea Town Hall, a substantial Victorian civic building close to Clapham Junction. The building was designed by E. W. Mountford and opened in 1893, when it served as the administrative headquarters of the Borough of Battersea. Constructed primarily from Suffolk red brick and Bath stone, it is now a Grade II* listed building and one of the distinctive historic public buildings in the London Borough of Wandsworth. The site became a community arts centre in 1974, and its theatre programme was established in 1981. Since then, BAC has developed a reputation for supporting experimental, participatory and devised performance. Its best-known artistic principle is the “scratch” process, in which artists present work-in-progress to audiences at an early stage and use responses to shape later versions. This approach forms part of BAC’s broader development ladder for new work, linking experimentation, audience feedback and production opportunities. The organisation has supported or hosted work associated with artists and companies including Punchdrunk and Richard Thomas’s Kombat Opera. BAC’s programme has included theatre, immersive performance, comedy, live art and new writing. Punchdrunk’s immersive production The Masque of the Red Death occupied much of the building between 2007 and 2008 and became one of the venue’s most prominent large-scale productions. Jerry Springer – The Opera premiered at BAC in 2002 before transferring to the Royal National Theatre. The centre also presents visiting work, community activity and events, and makes its historic spaces available for weddings, meetings, filming, photo shoots and other commercial or cultural uses. The building suffered a major fire on 13 March 2015 during a substantial renovation programme. The blaze severely damaged the Grand Hall and Lower Hall and caused the collapse of the tower, but firefighters saved much of the building, including several smaller performance spaces. No injuries were reported. BAC continued its artistic programme almost immediately, with two performances taking place the day after the fire, while it developed fundraising and temporary venue plans. During the rebuilding period, the organisation proposed an off-site theatre so that new work could continue while the principal hall was unavailable. The Grand Hall reconstruction was completed in 2018 under the direction of Haworth Tompkins, which had worked with BAC on a phased transformation of the building for more than a decade. The restored interior retained the hall’s historic character while using contemporary construction methods, including a replacement vaulted ceiling made from layers of CNC-cut plywood. Scorched and exposed surfaces in adjacent corridors were preserved as visible reminders of the fire. A historic mosaic floor survived, and parts of the former Hope-Jones pipe organ also survived because portions of the instrument were away from the building for restoration when the fire occurred. Today, Battersea Arts Centre combines venue operations, artist development, theatre production, community engagement and building hire. It receives support for operating costs from public and charitable sources including Arts Council England and the London Borough of Wandsworth. Its identity is closely associated with artistic experimentation, the adaptive reuse of a listed civic building and the continuation of cultural activity despite major physical disruption.
History
Battersea Arts Centre occupies the former Battersea Town Hall, a Victorian municipal building designed by E. W. Mountford. Construction was completed in the early 1890s, and the building opened in 1893 as the administrative headquarters of the Borough of Battersea. Its architecture uses Suffolk red brick and Bath stone and reflects the civic ambitions of the period, when Battersea had recently become part of the newly created County of London after being transferred from Surrey. The building was erected on the site of Elm House, associated with Jane Senior, and became an important public landmark in the district. The hall was used for civic, political, intellectual and community activity. On 6 March 1927, Bertrand Russell delivered the talk that became associated with his essay Why I Am Not a Christian there, under the auspices of the South London Branch of the National Secular Society. In 1901, the Grand Hall received a large pipe organ built by Norman & Beard to designs associated with Robert Hope-Jones. The instrument incorporated innovations that influenced the later development of the Wurlitzer theatre organ. It was regarded as an important surviving example of Hope-Jones’s work. A partial restoration took place in 2008–2009, although the 2015 fire destroyed the console, bellows, wiring and architectural cases. Soundboards and much of the pipework survived because they were off site for restoration. The building’s future became uncertain in the late 1960s when proposals supported by the London Borough of Wandsworth envisaged demolishing substantial sections. Campaigners including the Victorian Society and the Battersea Society opposed the plans. Their campaign helped secure statutory protection, and the building was listed at Grade II* in February 1970. This status later shaped the approach to its repair and adaptation. The site became a community arts centre in 1974. A dedicated theatre organisation was established in 1981, beginning the centre’s modern role as a producer and presenter of performance. BAC subsequently became known for giving artists space to test unfinished ideas. Its scratch methodology invites audiences to encounter work in development and provide feedback, making experimentation and iterative production central to the organisation’s identity. This model has been used across theatre and performance rather than being limited to a single genre. The centre hosted and developed a range of notable productions. Richard Thomas’s early work with Kombat Opera was presented at BAC, and Jerry Springer – The Opera premiered there in 2002 before moving to the Royal National Theatre. Jackson’s Way, a one-person show that satirised and embraced motivational-speaking culture, won the 2004 Perrier Award in Edinburgh. Punchdrunk’s The Masque of the Red Death transformed much of the building into an immersive environment from September 2007 to April 2008. Its long, sold-out run attracted more than 400,000 visitors according to the reference account and demonstrated the suitability of BAC’s irregular rooms and circulation spaces for promenade performance. Leadership changed after Tom Morris’s departure in 2003. David Jubb became Artistic Director in 2004 and later shared the role with David Micklem from 2007 to 2012. Jubb announced his departure in 2018, and Tarek Iskander was appointed Artistic Director and CEO in December of that year. The centre also developed uses beyond theatre. It has hosted the Battersea Beer Festival annually since 1991 and has served as a location for film, television, music-video and portrait-programme production. Examples include the 1975 film Slade in Flame, McFly’s 2012 music video for Love Is Easy and the Sky Arts series Portrait Artist of the Year. On 13 March 2015, a fire broke out in the roof while major renovation work was underway. It engulfed parts of the building, caused severe structural damage and brought down the tower. The Grand Hall and Lower Hall were destroyed, but firefighters saved approximately 70 percent of the theatre, including the Council Chamber, Scratch Bar, Members Library and other smaller spaces. Around 80 firefighters and 12 fire engines attended, and no injuries were reported. BAC staged two performances the following day and continued much of its programme, although the loss of large hireable rooms created a major operational and financial challenge. The organisation launched fundraising efforts and planned an off-site theatre for the period in which the Grand Hall was being rebuilt. The restoration was completed in 2018 with Haworth Tompkins, which had already been involved in a phased transformation of the centre. The new vaulted ceiling used three layers of CNC-cut plywood rather than reproducing the original construction exactly. Some adjoining corridors were deliberately left with exposed, scorched surfaces, allowing the building’s fire history to remain legible. The mosaic floor made in the nineteenth century by Jess Rust survived. The restored centre continues to combine theatre production, artist development, community use, events and venue hire.
- 2018
Grand Hall restoration is completed
[1]The principal hall reopens after a reconstruction led by Haworth Tompkins.
- 2018
Tarek Iskander appointed Artistic Director and CEO
[1]Tarek Iskander is appointed to lead the organisation after David Jubb’s announced departure.
- 2015
Major fire damages the centre
[1]A renovation-period roof fire destroys the Grand Hall and Lower Hall but leaves much of the complex usable.
- 2007
David Micklem becomes Joint Artistic Director
[1]David Micklem begins sharing artistic leadership with David Jubb.
- 2007
The Masque of the Red Death opens
[1]Punchdrunk begins its immersive production across much of the building.
- 2002
Jerry Springer – The Opera premieres
[1]Richard Thomas’s production premieres at BAC before transferring to the Royal National Theatre.
- 1991
Battersea Beer Festival begins
[1]The centre begins hosting the annual three-day Battersea Beer Festival.
- 1981
Theatre organisation is founded
[1]BAC’s dedicated theatre activity is established.
- 1974
Building becomes a community arts centre
[1]The former town hall is adapted for community arts use.
- 1970
Building receives Grade II* listing
[1]Following a preservation campaign, the former town hall receives statutory heritage protection.
Products and positioning
A historic London arts centre positioned around adventurous performance, artist development, audience participation and the creative reuse of a listed civic building.
Artist development
Scratch development programme
BAC’s scratch methodology gives artists opportunities to show unfinished or exploratory performance to an audience. Feedback is used to refine the work through successive stages, making the programme a practical development route for new theatre, live art and performance ideas.
Performing arts · 1981
Theatre and performance programme
The centre presents and produces theatre, immersive work, comedy, live art and experimental performance. Its spaces support both conventional productions and projects that use the building’s corridors, rooms and unusual architectural layout as part of the audience experience.
Venue · 1893
Grand Hall
The Grand Hall is the centre’s principal historic event and performance space. It was severely damaged in the 2015 fire and rebuilt by 2018, with a contemporary vaulted ceiling and retained historic elements.
Venue services
Venue hire and location services
BAC makes parts of its listed building available for weddings, meetings, filming, photographic shoots and other events. Its varied rooms and historic interiors have also supported film, television and music-video production.
Festival · 1991
Battersea Beer Festival
A recurring three-day beer festival hosted by the centre each February since 1991, extending BAC’s public-event activity beyond its theatre programme.
Controversies
1998
Fatal motorcycle-club violence at the Annual Rockers Reunion
A coordinated attack involving Hells Angels members and Outcasts members took place during the Annual Rockers Reunion at the centre on 31 January 1998. Two Outcasts members were killed, and Ronald “Gut” Wait was convicted of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.
Marketing campaigns
- 2015Fire recovery and rebuilding campaign
United Kingdom
After the fire, Artistic Director David Jubb launched fundraising and the organisation planned temporary off-site performance capacity while reconstruction took place.
Outcome. BAC continued much of its artistic programme and completed the Grand Hall rebuilding in 2018.
- 1970Campaign to preserve Battersea Town Hall
United Kingdom
The Victorian Society and Battersea Society led opposition to proposals that would have demolished significant parts of the former town hall.
Outcome. The building received Grade II* listed status in February 1970.
Brand decisions
2018
Rebuild the Grand Hall with contemporary materialsGeneration changeBackground
The 2015 fire destroyed the historic hall’s roof and interior elements, requiring reconstruction within a Grade II* listed building.
Action taken
Working with Haworth Tompkins, BAC replaced the vaulted ceiling with three layers of CNC-cut plywood and retained selected traces of fire damage in adjoining corridors.
Aftermath
The Grand Hall rebuilding was completed in 2018, allowing the centre to restore its principal performance and event capacity.
2018
Transition from David Jubb to Tarek IskanderOtherBackground
David Jubb announced that he would step down from the artistic-director role in April 2019 after leading the organisation for much of the post-2003 period.
Action taken
Tarek Iskander was appointed Artistic Director and CEO in December 2018.
Aftermath
Iskander became the organisation’s current artistic and executive leader.
2015
Continue artistic programming after the fireStrategyBackground
The fire removed access to major performance and hire spaces during a renovation programme, threatening both programming capacity and an important source of venue income.
Action taken
BAC kept smaller spaces operating, presented performances shortly after the incident, launched fundraising and planned an off-site theatre for the rebuilding period.
Aftermath
The organisation maintained artistic activity while the main building was repaired, and the Grand Hall was completed in 2018.
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