Mayor Dinah Pounds places time capsule in Cambridge Arts Theatre

The mayor of Cambridge, Cllr Dinah Pounds, visited Cambridge Arts Theatre to place a time capsule, marking the transformational redevelopment taking place.

The theatre launched the community time capsule project in May, encouraging suggestions from audience members, local schoolchildren and the wider Cambridge community.

The aim of the project was to commemorate the refurbishment, preserve the history of the theatre and communicate with future theatre-goers.

Many objects and memorabilia were enclosed within the time capsule, including architectural plans for the current auditorium refurbishment and proposed 200-seat studio space, theatre tickets, programmes and brochures, and a collection of photographs of the building, staff, volunteers and wider theatre team.

Also included were newspaper cuttings, a bar menu and a letter from Cambridge Arts Theatre’s resident pantomime dame, Matt Crosby.

Cllr Pounds’ visit was on Tuesday, 24 June.

Caitlin Clark, the theatre’s marketing manager, said: “We were thrilled to welcome Dinah Pounds to the theatre to officially place our 2025 time capsule.

“Dinah Pounds is the new mayor of Cambridge, and has a personal interest in arts and culture, so she was a perfect choice.

“Dinah and her partner Adam were joined by the Arts Theatre’s co-chief executives Rachel Tackley and Victoria Beechey, and Simon Harper, the project manager of the theatre’s transformational redevelopment project.

“Our time capsule is now underneath the new auditorium seating in the balcony, and will hopefully remain hidden for decades to come.”

Cambridge Arts Theatre is undergoing a transformational redevelopment project, made possible by a generous £16million gift from Lord David and Dame Susie Sainsbury via the Gatsby Charitable Foundation.

The redevelopment project, designed by architect Ian Chalk, includes a total refurbishment of the auditorium, upgraded audience facilities, improved technical services, sight lines and acoustic performance.

For more information about the redevelopment project and how to support Cambridge Arts Theatre, visit artstheatre-redevelopment.com.