The New Cultural Quarter and Performing Arts Centre


A magnet for the College’s creative community...

The most ambitious building project we have undertaken in many years, the new Cultural Quarter will be a stunning addition to the cultural life of the College and the wider community.

PROJECT COST: £13.9M

Project Target Achieved

Fundraising is now complete and work on this ambitious project has commenced with a projected opening November 2017. £10.9m has been raised by the generosity of parents and OWs and £3m has been funded by the College.

 

The vibrant Cultural Quarter will open up a myriad of possibilities, embracing the benefits of an holistic education and providing a cultural laboratory where students can experiment, create, perform and engage with their peers. It will be home to the new Performing Arts Centre – housing the Performance Auditorium and Cultural Living Room – set within a beautiful landscape including gardens, walkways, and a central ‘plaza’ that will become both a cultural and social hub for the College.

 

One of the best 27 buildings on the planet

The designs that have been developed by Architects Studio Seilern have been awarded the winner in the ‘Best Building in Education’ category at the World Architecture Festival in November 2015 and is included as one of the best 27 buildings on the planet.

PERFORMANCE AUDITORIUM AND THE CULTURAL LIVING ROOM

A state-of-the-art performance space – part concert hall, part theatre, part opera house – where we can put on large-scale concerts, musicals and plays, and a multi-performance and exhibition space where activities will be driven by the students.

Imagine the possibilities… Ballet with a live orchestra; joint events with the local music community and with our partner schools; visiting orchestras; rock concerts and much more. It will also release much needed space in our current theatre for additional dance and rehearsal facilities, and will become the building where the entire College can come together. The Cultural Living Room will become another vibrant social hub for the campus where creative arts, events, exhibitions and student life are allowed to occur spontaneously.

The Cultural Quarter

Naming Opportunities

To show our appreciation of your support we have provided a number of opportunities to name elements of projects and programmes. By doing this we remind the wider community how essential philanthropic support is to the College.

Theatre seats are £500, flagstones in the Cultural Plaza £1,000 and trees are £1,500. There are also opportunities to name various areas of the new complex.

Latest News

Baron W H Spicer (Bd 61)

30 June 2025

William Michael Hardy Spicer, Baron Spicer, PC (22 January 1943 – 29th May 2019) Michael joined Wellington in The Beresford in 1956. As a schoolboy, he was a keen actor and sportsman. In 1960 he was appointed Head of School and in later years became a College Governor. At his memorial service in 2019, his best […]

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Darcy Bourne (C 20) GB Hockey player and Founder of Raising Her Game

15 May 2025

Darcy Bourne (C 20) is a GB Hockey Player and has recently set up Raising Her Game, a charity which works to improve the lives of young girls from underprivileged backgrounds through sport. RHG offers free sports opportunities to girls in lower-socioeconomic communities who wouldn’t otherwise get the chance to play – ultimately aiming to […]

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Brother on a Bus: John Green’s (T 58) UK Circumnavigation by Bus

25 March 2025

At 85 years young, John Green (T 58) will soon be setting off an extraordinary eight-week journey around the British Isles using nothing but public buses and donated accommodation, to support The Hospital of St Cross & Almshouse of Noble Poverty. Launching on May 1st 2025, John will travel around the British Isles using his […]

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Upcoming Events

10 September 2025

Life Beyond Wellington Networking Evening

The Other House, South Kensington, London

 

 

Are you an OW or parent who is established in their career and able to offer advice or work shadowing within your company? Or perhaps you are a young OW looking for support around careers? Either way, this event is for you! The Life Beyond Wellington Networking Evening is an event for all members of the Wellington Community, designed to support our young OWs as they navigate their way through university and/or the beginning of their career.

Book your place »

13 September 2025

Parent and OW Reception in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

James Dahl, 15th Master, and Murray Lindo, Head of the Wellington Community, will be in Hong Kong this September as part of a series of global gatherings with our international Wellington families. This informal evening is a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow parents and Old Wellingtonians living in Hong Kong, while also hearing more about our newly launched Excellence & Access Campaign. Please email development@wel​lingtoncollege.​org.uk for more information.


15 September 2025

Fireside Talk: ‘Being Human in the Age of AI’ by Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE

Wellington College

 

 

The Wellington Community and Academic Extension Team would like to invite parents and OWs to a special edition of our Fireside Talks series, ‘Being Human in the Age of AI’ in the CLT. Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE is a scientist, writer, broadcaster, and member of the House of Lords. She is currently Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Oxford, and holds 32 honorary degrees from UK and foreign universities. Her area of special scientific interest is the physiology of the human brain, particularly Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

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