Renewal Arts UK exists to support the work of the wider Renewal Arts community, to encourage those in the network and to spread it’s values and aims.  The charity Renewal Arts (UK) is a legal body, and was founded in 2004 to support the activities of Renewal Arts. Its aims include the provision and administration of this website, managing events in the UK, the production of the newsletter, Renewal Arts News and occasional small bursaries to support artists in the UK.

The benefit of being member of RA UK is that you will make the regular events possible, you will receive advance invitations to all events and will receive the newsletter three times a year.  The annual membership fee is £20 and this will also give you membership of this website.

Renewal Arts Events

Regular events and performances are held in the IofC studio theatre at Greencoat Place, London. In the future is is intended that such events will take place elsewhere in the UK

Renewal Arts News

The newsletter of Renewal Arts UK reports on events in the UK and elswhere, activities of Renewal Arts members and shares thoughts about the influence of the arts.  It is sent to all members, either by post or email and past issues will be available through the website.

History

The Friends were launched in 1964 as “The Friends of Westminster Theatre”. The aim was to support the plays at the theatre and was expressed in these words: “To encourage the growth of character that is essential if civilisation is to survive.” For some 13 years the Friends raised money every Christmas for children’s homes from across the country to send parties to “Give a Dog a Bone”, the pantomime written by Peter Howard, and to the C.S. Lewis “Narnia” plays. The Friends also supported the “Day of London Theatre” programme for schools.

In 1999 they moved to their present home, the Barn Theatre at 24 Greencoat Place - a studio theatre where they continued their aims under the name “Friends of Westminster Productions”, arranging rehearsed play readings, concerts, lectures and other artistic events and continuing its regular newsletter. With the growth of Renewal Arts they changed its name to “Friends of Renewal Arts”. In December 2014 they celebrated the 50th anniversary and finally in January 2015 the Friends, including the events and newsletter were formally subsumed within Renewal Arts UK.