03/06/2026
Some news from Lucy Phillips, our Co-artistic director.
After 45 wonderful years of creating and sharing theatre in the New Forest, Forest Forge Theatre Company will close in August 2026.
Since it was founded in 1981 Forest Forge has reached tens of thousands of audience members with joyful, compelling stories inspired by our home in the New Forest. It has supported and celebrated theatre making in the region through our playful touring work, an exceptional youth theatre, the unique Elevate project, successful wider participatory programmes and artist development opportunities. We are very proud of the work we have made and the impact we have had. We hope you have enjoyed it.
The cultural and economic landscape in which Forest Forge was founded no longer exists. Funding our work has become increasingly challenging. Our heritage, size and scope of our work mean that has been impossible to carve out a sustainable future that remains true to our original aims. By making this decision now, we will wind up responsibly with the time and space to manage the process carefully and in line with our values and legal responsibilities. As a solvent organisation, once our outstanding financial commitments have been met, the remaining funds will be redistributed to appropriate charities.
The trustees of Forest Forge are grateful to everyone who has worked with us over the years, from dedicated teams of staff and trustees to actors, writers, designers, participants and more. We are honoured to have served our community, and we hope you remember your Forest Forge experiences with affection.
We believe that good endings are important. Whilst this has been a difficult decision we are all in agreement that it is the right time and that sometimes we need to move aside to make space for something new. We look forward to cheering on other artists as they make and share theatre in the New Forest.
Thank you.
We have published this statement alongside some FAQs on our website, please take a look: https://www.forestforgetheatre.co.uk/news/
