You have the chance to help Chester’s Storyhouse and Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre win the title of the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre.

The winners of this year’s award will be decided by a public vote until noon on September 18. Votes can be cast from noon today at uktheatre.org/vote.

This year there are more than 175 venues across the country competing to take home the coveted title.

The 12 regional and national winners of the vote will be announced on September 29. The overall winner of the award will be announced at the UK Theatre Awards on October 14.

In 2016 the winner was The Mill at Sonning.

A Midsummer Night's Dream at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre in Chester. Picture by Mark McNulty
Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre in Chester. Picture by Mark McNulty

The UK Theatre Awards are the only nationwide awards to honour outstanding achievement in theatre throughout the United Kingdom.

This year’s ceremony will again take place at London’s historic Guildhall.

Julian Bird, chief executive, UK Theatre, said: “Most Welcoming Theatre is a chance for audiences to celebrate their local theatre and for venues to shout about the incredible work they are doing day in day out.

“Theatres are the backbone of communities across the country and this campaign highlights the vital work they do.”

Andrew Bentley, Storyhouse CEO and co-founder of Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, added: “This is an opportunity for our audiences to celebrate our incredible theatres.

“Storyhouse welcomed a million visits in its first year, whilst Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre sees 27,000 theatregoers in just six weeks.

“Each month over 120 community groups call Storyhouse their home, our policy is this house is your house, so if people can take the time to vote for us it would mean so much. Without our creative community we wouldn’t be what we are – so please vote!”

For more information on the UK Theatre Awards and to vote visit www.uktheatre/vote