Community Groups

The Towngate believes that the voices and stories of those in Basildon and its communities are what makes the borough so vibrant. We are looking to open up our space to more community groups and charities, and engage in more arts activity with our local communities.

We would love to hear from you, please contact our Participation Co-Ordinator by:

• Phone: 01268 205 300
• Email: thomas.mason@basildon.gov.uk

Use our Spaces

We are keen to make sure our facilities are open and accessible to all in our community. From the Gielgud room to our Mirren studio, Towngate has some amazing spaces available for use. If you have a session, event, or workshop that would benefit our local communities and would like to partner with the Towngate, we would love to hear from you. From weekly wellbeing lunches to yoga sessions, it would be great to hear from you.

Please note that this does not replace hires of our spaces for dance schools, productions, and events. If you would like to discuss hiring one of our spaces, please visit our Hire page for more information or contact us at towngate@basildon.gov.uk.

“Between the Lines” Book Club

Mondays from 1:00pm – 2:00pm in Upper Foyer

Set-Up Meeting – Monday 25th September

First Discussion Meeting – Monday 9th October

Towngate Theatre has teamed up with Essex Libraries to create the Between the Lines Book Club which will be hosted at Towngate Theatre. It will be focussing on literature that has had stage and/or screen adaptations, and also working around the programme of the theatre so you can see some of the readings come to life!

Meetings happen twice a month, once online and once in person. These will happen on the second and fourth Monday of the month between 1:00pm – 2:00pm and will be facilitated by the theatre. There will also be an online space for you to chat, comment on the book, and have discussions throughout the month so we can always stay connected. The Upper Foyer will be available at the same time each week to come along and read with other members of the book club, or just have a space to connect and forget about the outside world for an hour. These meetings are completely voluntary, you are more than welcome to just join the club and read the book. This is a completely flexible space.

With our partnership with Essex Libraries, a select amount of physical copies of the literature will be available to borrow alongside e-books and audio versions of the text. Should you wish to borrow a copy, please contact Tom Mason at the theatre.

If you are interested in joining the Book Club or have any questions/queries, please contact Tom at the theatre via email at Thomas.Mason@basildon.gov.uk or call 01268 205300.

Crafty Mayhem

Wednesdays from 1:30pm – 4:00pm in Upper Foyer

Join Crafty Mayhem in the Upper Foyer every Wednesday for an afternoon of crafting and chatting. Crafty Mayhem are a group of makers who make and sell their crafts for local charities and good causes. If you are looking to learn, chat, make, or even join the charitable work of the group, come along! Find them on Facebook by clicking here.

Let’s Talk

Monday 16th October – 11:00am – 12:00pm

Tuesday 21st October – 11:00am – 12:00pm

Come and visit your local PSCO’s in the Café/Bar in Essex Police’s Let’s Talk initiative. Come and talk about your local area, the problems you may be facing, and anything else you may want to chat about.

Dates and times are subject to change. More dates at other locations are available. Check out the Basildon District Facebook page for more information.