Our Story

Founded in 2006, CentreStage, operates with an ethos that anyone, regardless of age, background or experience can gain life changing social benefits through active participation in the arts.

CentreStage, now based in the historic former Kilmarnock Academy following the UK’s largest community asset transfer from East Ayrshire Council, stands as a model of progressive public sector reform—placing culture and community at the core of regeneration. By providing inclusive access to the arts—spanning performance, creativity, social connection, and education—CentreStage enables individuals to realise their potential, regardless of background or circumstance. The £5.2M transformation of the site now supports integrated working among 30 co-located public, private, and third sector organisations, driving collaborative solutions to challenges including wellbeing, social isolation, education, and inequality.

Our Vision

Our vision is for a society where everyone can realise their potential and achieve their hopes and aspirations, regardless of their circumstances and background. Our values of Hope, Joy, Inclusion and Aspiration, underpin all that we do. We create places where everyone is welcome, where everyone has their own story and everyone has the potential to grow.

Read our full strategy and learn more about how we're putting our vision and values into action by clicking here.

Our Performances

The Arts are at the heart of CentreStage. Productions from musical theatre, drama and live music to dance and comedy are staged year-round in our venue. Our Auditorium and various rooms/spaces are available to hire for external events.

Our Timeline

It’s the place and the people. Our CentreStage journey so far…

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YEAR 2000
While teachers at Grange Academy, Kilmarnock, Fiona & Paul stage “Jesus Christ Superstar” in the school Assembly Hall breaking the tradition of using the Palace Theatre, significantly upgrading the school stage, creating a place supporting inclusive, aspirational opportunities for all.

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YEAR 2002/2003
Fiona & Paul lead the Scottish School’s premiere of “Les Miserables” at Grange Academy, where a revolving stage was designed and built in-house for the production. 13 sold-out performances attract audiences from across the UK. The CentreStage concept of creating a place for all ages, built around the arts, was born after this production.

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YEAR 2005
CentreStage feasibility and design begins. James Little Street Kilmarnock is chosen as the theatre site which converted by Fiona, Paul, and their families.

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YEAR 2006 | JUNE
CentreStage opens!

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YEAR 2007 | FEBRUARY
CentreStage presents its first full production, “The Witches of Eastwick” featuring magical cellos and flying cast members.

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YEAR 2007 | AUGUST
Leadership Academy, now known as Connect, was launched, supporting East Ayrshire Teenagers.

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YEAR 2007 | NOVEMBER
“High School Musical” becomes CentreStage’s first SOLD OUT performance.

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YEAR 2008 | MAY
‘CentreStage Performers’ registered as a charity, allowing all income from classes and productions at CentreStage to support our wider social impact, enabling wider inclusive access to the arts for people across Ayrshire.

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YEAR 2010 | MARCH
Boys2Men@Bowhouse begins at HMP Kilmarnock funded by The Robertson Trust. This singing group developed into the Catalyst project.

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YEAR 2010 | MAY
CentreStage hosts the world premiere of Umoja Gaelica featuring international Gospel singer Lea Gilmore.

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YEAR 2010 | AUGUST
Musical Generations launches at Grange Nursing Home funded by Awards for All. This evolves into weekly sessions bringing hundreds of people together at CentreStage for music, conversation and shortbread.

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YEAR 2011 | MARCH & AUGUST
CentreStage presents “Les Miserables”, this time featuring young people from across Ayrshire, yet again creating a revolving stage bespoke for the theatre.

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YEAR 2011 | JULY
CentreStage launches the Kilmarnock Fair Festival, presenting live acts from across the UK.

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YEAR 2012 | MAY
The charity is renamed as CentreStage Communities Ltd.

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YEAR 2012 | AUGUST
The CentreStage marquee is transformed into the CentreStage café over a single weekend by a team of volunteers.

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YEAR 2013 | FEBRUARY
CentreStage, in partnership with East Ayrshire Council, bring Scotland’s Creative Place Award to Kilmarnock. This allows the first CentreStage outreach spaces to converted at 63 and 85 King Street.

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YEAR 2013 | AUGUST
The CentreStage Catalyst Project launches, supported by the Big Lottery.

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YEAR 2013 | DECEMBER
Santa’s Grotto and Magical Toy Workshop opens in King Street, welcoming over 4000 people from across Scotland.

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YEAR 2014 | JANUARY
CentreStage begin outreach work in North West & Shortlees areas of Kilmarnock, supported by Young Start and Big Lottery fund.

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2014 | MARCH
CentreStage King Street is transformed into “The Secret Garden” transporting thousands of families across Ayrshire into a magical land – featuring a third revolving stage.

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YEAR 2014 | APRIL
45 John Finnie Street is converted to become the home of CentreStage Catalyst.

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YEAR 2014 | JUNE
CentreStage Ardeer begins, funded by STV Children’s Appeal, providing weekly arts activities for families within the community and introducing many to the theatre for the first time, bringing over 100 by coach to enjoy “Sunshine on Leith” at CentreStage.

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YEAR 2014 | AUGUST
STV creates a documentary telling the story of “Starlight Express”, where CentreStage is transformed into a giant train set, featuring young people from Onthank, Shortlees, and Ardeer.

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YEAR 2015 | MAY
“Gie it Laldy” launches, supporting our friends and families affected by dementia and funded by the Life Changes Trust.

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YEAR 2015 | MAY
CentreStage converts 7 Somerville Drive in Ardeer to become “CentreStage Ardeer” allowing inclusive access to material support and aspirational opportunities to be provided within the heart of the community.

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YEAR 2015 | MAY
CentreStage launches “Dignified Food Provision”, supported by the Scottish Government and The Hunter Foundation in responses to discovering the impact of food insecurity on children’s lives.

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YEAR 2015 | OCTOBER
Dignified Food Provision involved creating a commercial kitchen at CentreStage Dundonald, converting a double decker bus and articulated lorry and reusing over 200 tons of high – quality food surplus, to create meals supporting 13 communities across Ayrshire.

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YEAR 2015 | OCTOBER
CentreStage presents “West Side Story”, with the cast featuring young people of Shortlees, North-West Kilmarnock, Ardeer, Catalyst, team members and the Chair of the Board.

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YEAR 2015 | NOVEMBER
Seven North and East Ayrshire communities come together to sing at CentreStage with Lea Gilmore for the “Raise Your Voice” concert series staged over 3 nights and involving over 600 performers, many onstage for the first time.

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YEAR 2016 | JANUARY
CentreStage Connect and Enterprise Projects launch from No 45 John Finnie Street.

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YEAR 2016 | JUNE
CentreStage becomes a founding member of the Social Innovation Partnership formed by Scottish Government and The Hunter Foundation.

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YEAR 2016 | JULY
To provide Dignified Food Provision over the Summer school holidays, CentreStage installs two inflatable buildings in Onthank and Dalmellington, providing arts activities and meals supporting thousands of families alongside East Ayrshire Council.

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YEAR 2016 | DECEMBER
When Kilmarnock Academy becomes surpluses to East Ayrshire Council, the concept for the CentreStage Village was born, bringing all the different CentreStage people and places together in a single site, with the arts at the heart.

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YEAR 2017 | APRIL
CentreStage agree the purchase of Kilmarnock Academy with East Ayrshire Council, the largest Community Led Asset Transfer in Scotland to date.

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YEAR 2017 | MAY
Heart & Soul launches within a newly converted hub & café facility, funded by The Robertson Trust, allowing support to be provided from its Cumnock base to women and girls of all ages.

CentreStage converts 3-9 John Finnie Street as the new home of our Connect Project. We will welcome pupils from over 20 schools across Ayrshire.

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YEAR 2017 | JUNE
HRH Prince Edward visits CentreStage to learn our story so far and to hear the vision for the Village, unveiling a plaque to mark the occasion.

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YEAR 2017 | DECEMBER
Santa returns, this time basing his Grotto and Magical Toy Workshop from Connect House, supported by Connect elves, spreading Christmas joy to over 3000 families.

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YEAR 2018 | JUNE
“Singing in the Rain” is the last full-scale production at James Little Street requiring the full stage to be transformed into Scotland’s largest power shower.

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YEAR 2018 | AUGUST
The £4.8 million funding campaign begins to allow the regeneration of Kilmarnock Academy into a fully accessible cultural, social and community venue.

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YEAR 2019 | AUGUST
Construction begins to transform the former Kilmarnock Academy into CentreStage.

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YEAR 2020 | MARCH
COVID-19 forces immediate closure of all CentreStage sites. The James Little Street theatre is transformed one last time into a food distribution centre supporting thousands across Ayrshire with meals, wellbeing support and online activities.

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YEAR 2020 | JUNE
To celebrate our 14th anniversary and to say goodbye to our home since 2006, we presented the very first Scottish livestream gig – with now audience – from our James Little Street stage. Days later, the demolition works begin.

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YEAR 2020 | SEPTEMBER
As a team, we reassert our values of Hope, Aspiration, Inclusion, re-branding in preparation for opening our new CentreStage home at Ayrshire’s Arts Academy.

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YEAR 2021 | MAY
“Delivering Magic” is launched, distilling all our learning since 2000 and embedding it across all areas of CentreStage to ensure that our values are delivered through all that we do, for generations to come.

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YEAR 2021 | AUGUST
Phase 1 regeneration completed, bringing the community together to create the next chapter.

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