Entertainment in Salisbury

The largest theatre in town, Salisbury Playhouse, dates back to 1976 and regularly hosts in-house productions alongside touring shows and events. The 517-capacity main auditorium hosts the more mainstream events including musicals and drama, while the 149-capacity Salberg theatre in the same building is used for more niche and alternative shows. The Playhouse foyer cafe is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30am for drinks, cakes, snacks and sandwiches as well as for pre-show drinks.

The other theatre option in town is the Salisbury Arts Centre. Run by the same organisation as the Playhouse, the Arts Centre hosts a varied events programme spanning film screenings, comedy, theatre, live music and exhibitions. The action all takes place in a beautifully converted church on the northern edge of the town centre. The Arts Centre is also home to a cool bar and cafe, pottery studio and an arts and crafts space.

Uniting the town’s theatre scene is the Salisbury International Arts Festival, which runs at the end of May each year, bringing together over 150 events, shows and performances.

The New Art Centre is an art gallery and sculpture park located in a gorgeous 19th-century manor house and parkland, just a short drive from our Salisbury North Bishopdown hotel. The 20-acre centre, home to over 100 sculptures and pieces, is open to the public daily from 11am to 4pm, with all of the works on display up for sale.

While the Salisbury Arts Centre hosts regular film screenings, the main cinema in town is ODEON Salisbury. Located next to the Old George Mall, the five-screen RealD 3D complex is housed in a Grade 1-listed medieval building.