New arts centre will support young creatives - CEO

Dr Hannah Phillips was announced as the site's chief executive and artistic director on Tuesday

The new chief executive and artistic director of a former cinema in Worcester that is being transformed into an arts centre has said the venue wants to support young creatives in the city.

Due to open in October 2026, Scala will host events including live performances, independent films, music, dance, and festivals.

Dr Hannah Phillips, a local theatre director, writer and producer, has taken up the roles, and said the site would work with local colleges and universities.

"We want to support the young artists that are here in Worcester, we want people to stay in Worcester, we want them to... work here, we want to support their brilliant creativity, artistic minds and their ideas," she said.

'Festival vibe'

"I've been in Worcestershire for a long time, for 10 years, and watched the transformation of our cultural offers, so to be here at Scala as the first CEO and artistic director is really exciting," she added.

Dr Phillips said she had a vision of people being able to tell the company what they want to see there.

"Art centres are built around people and places, and they're embedded in the local community, and we want it to be an invitation for the community to come in and co-create with us," she told the BBC.

"We want a really exciting festival vibe, we want to look for the gaps, we want bold ambitious programming, aerial, circus, digital installation… outdoor art, we want to look at really supporting that next generation of talent here in Worcester."

The Scala site has also been registered as a charitable incorporated organisation, which will see it work with Worcester City Council to develop and deliver the project.

"I feel really honoured to be able to be the first one to open the doors... it's a team effort, it's about the city and it's about the people that live here," Dr Phillips added.

"I want to see it become a creative hub where people feel like they belong."