Exploring options for Historic Worcester Church
The historic church of St Swithun’s in Worcester recently underwent a conservation project which saw it become a significant landmark on the cultural and historic map of the region.
In December 2025, St Swithun’s funded period will come to an end, having been generously supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other Donors and Funders. The Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) who care for the building, are now looking to the next stage of the project and exploring options for the future use of the building. One of these options is to search for long-term partner tenants who can help us to look after and safeguard this fantastic site well into the future. Over the past two years, the project, which was re-branded as ‘Sound & Art at St Swithun’s’, has delivered an impressive range of live music/arts events and activities at the church, to visitors and the local community.
CCT are interested in hearing from organisations who might like to become tenants, licensees, or partners to work from and/or help operate and deliver activities and events through the site at Sound & Art at St Swithun’s. All applications are welcome, but we are particularly interested in speaking to potential local partners who can help us meet specific criteria. We would love to hear from organisations who have local knowledge and experience, are focused on the community and have experience of successfully working with specified target groups. We welcome applications from organisations;
• Who would like to operate from an iconic historic building.
• Who have a vision of what they can achieve through the site.
• Those who will work to help fulfil the longer-term vision of the CCT and our funders.
• Who can work within the community and understand local needs/audiences.
• Who might support the delivery of a sustainable business model through the site which could include ticketed events, craft markets, performances, celebratory events (such as wedding receptions), heritage events, learning and engagement workshops with schools and the local community, heritage / cultural activities, and making St Swithun’s available as a corporate/commercial space for hire.
Sound & Art at St Swithun’s, formerly St Swithun’s – was one of Worcester’s first parish churches and is considered to be "one of the best preserved examples of an early Georgian church in England" – it has been renovated and restored, in collaboration with the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to preserve the shared heritage of the local community and play a part in Worcester’s current cultural network. With a large nave area, it offers a variety of different flexible uses – from event or gallery space, including a licensed bar option, staging and industry standard P.A., an office, disabled/baby change and standard toilet facilities, and has been levelled to allow for disabled access . The building provides over 4100 sq ft of usable space, with pew seating for up to 180 people, newly refurbished, all in beautiful Grade 1 Listed surroundings. A floor plan accompanies this EOI, but if you need more information, please do get in contact with the a member of the team on the contact details below.
For more information, and an informal discussion around the various options and partnership opportunities, please get in touch with Guy Foreman, CCT Head of Enterprise - [email protected] – 07823 341 544.
Expressions of Interest should be sent electronically by email to [email protected] - closing date for EOIs is 28th March 2025.
For more information and apply online:
Expression of Interest Form
Floorplans