Next step for Sadler’s Wells: a fourth theatre

Sadler’s Wells today revealed its ambition to open a 500-seater contemporary dance venue as part of a 10-year expansion plan.

Alistair Spalding, artistic director and chief executive, outlined the vision to establish a fourth performance space to make London the leading international centre for dance.

He said: “London is a very strong centre for dance at the moment, and could be even stronger if we have this new facility. We could match Paris and New York in terms of the dance we produce and really place London at the top of the game.”

Sadler’s Wells intends to begin fundraising to create a theatre with a seating capacity that stands between its flagship auditorium which seats 1,500 and the Lilian Baylis theatre which seats 180. It also has the Peacock Theatre in the West End.

Mr Spalding said that a 500-seat theatre benefits the type of productions which are suited to a more intimate space and gives UK dance companies longer runs. He added: “These longer runs in the new space will in turn give us the same benefits that traditional theatre receives, such as press reviews, social media sharing and general word of mouth. This is a chance to grow the audience for the art form.”

The expansion includes a £5 million investment in the commission of new dance works and £1 million of investment in artist development over the next three years. Mr Spalding also announced the appointment of Sadler’s Wells’ 16th associate artist, the pioneering choreographer Crystal Pite. He said: “Crystal Pite has an international reputation for her work. She’s a very talented choreographer and is highly regarded in her field, so becoming an associate artist at Sadler’s Wells is the next natural progression.”

Since its major lottery-funded rebuild in 1998, more than 4.5 million people have visited the theatre and it has gained an international reputation for dance programmes, including contemporary, flamenco, Bollywood, ballet, salsa, street dance and tap.

Its productions were seen by 130,000 people in 2012/13, with productions in 51 cities around the world. Next summer will see the largest season of dance in the theatre’s 331-year history.