Shaping the next chapter for the arts
28th August 2026September is a very exciting month, as it marks the opening of Wolverton’s historic Market Hall. Over the last year, the community has banded together to bring this building back to life and shape its future.
Market Hall has been part of Wolverton’s story for over a century. Opened in 1887, it began its life as a market. Following a fire in 1906, the market moved to another building, and the use of Market Hall adapted to the needs of the local community over the coming years. It was used as a railway community building, and more recently a gym, before sitting empty.
The team at Future Wolverton, a community benefit society, took on a ten-year lease to begin transforming the building into a vibrant community owned arts and cultural centre that will benefit the whole of Milton Keynes. Working alongside volunteers, artists and local people, the team has worked tirelessly to start the building’s next chapter.
Plans for the building includes performance and theatre spaces, exhibitions, artist studios, flexible working space, café/bar and more. The building will also help young people find work experience and opportunities.
Last year, the Milton Keynes City Council invested at £20K into the project. In early 2026, Future Wolverton gave local people the opportunity to invest in the building through the ‘Community Share Offer’ with the aim of raising £150K. Every person that donated, became a shareholder. MK Council then also supported the project with Section 106 money so the target has now been reached!
This makes the regeneration really exciting as the local community has its say on how this venue is run.
Having this dedicated space in our city means more arts and culture on our doorstep, more ways to showcase our work and reach new audiences, plus new work opportunities.
With the interest and support the new Market Hall has already received, it will become a thriving and much-loved arts venue that brings our communities together. This is just what our city needs.
Rosemary Hill, our Artistic Director, is extremely proud and privileged to be performing her brand-new monologue ‘An Audience with Queen Victoria’,
at Market Hall on 25th and 26th September. Her performance will be the first theatre performance at the venue.
‘It’s 1887 and the year of my Golden Jubilee and fifty years since I came to the throne as a young girl of eighteen. Please do come and spend the evening with me and hear all about these last fifty years. There have been many happy memories and great successes, but also sadness. You can ask me questions too and I shall endeavour to answer honestly.’
It is very fitting that the piece is set in 1887 as the building opened then. Queen Victoria has quite a connection with Wolverton calling it “A charming little red brick town”.
Join Rosemary for an exciting evening of live theatre, history and an immersive question and answer session.
As a local professional theatre company, we are committed to supporting local theatre and venues and giving professional theatre practitioners and artists paid opportunities at Equity rates. This regeneration is vital to not only the community but also our industry. We are proud to support this next chapter.