Chichester Festival Theatre Festivals Pallant House Gallery Restaurants Shops

Chichester Festival Theatre, Minerva Theatre & Chichester Festivities Festival

Chichester's reputation as an international centre for theatre including cutting edge drama is well established and for theatre breaks in the UK Chichester is one of the most popular locations. Dating from the early 1960s, the Grade 2 listed Chichester Festival Theatre and adjacent newer intimate studio theatre the Minerva (built 1989) sits near the city centre surrounded by Oaklands Park and has ample parking adjacent. Designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, the Festival Theatre has a distinct and unique hexagonal shape influenced by Greek and Roman performance spaces. The thrust stage here opens out the stage on three sides making any performance highly accessible and inimate for the audience. Chichester Festival Theatre's season runs from April to September, but a full programme of cutting edge drama, musicals, classical concerts, children's theatre, talks, comedy, Shakespeare and classic plays by, for example, Noel Coward and Agatha Christie, run throughout the year.

The idea for the Festival theatre came from local Leslie Evershed-Martin and with Sir Laurence Olivier as the theatre's first inaugural Artistic Director Chichester Festival Theatre first opened in 1962. Olivier had the same cast of actors in several shows running for three weeks. Out of this approach between 1962 and 1965 Oliver built up the National Theatre Company. Chichester Festival Theatre quickly established itself as a centre for the best of British Theatre and actors performing here have included Olivier of course, Alan Bates, Alec Guinness, John Gielgud, Anthony Hopkins, Joan Plowwright, Diana Rigg, Maggie Smith, Alison Steadman and many more British greats. The Directors list is equally outstanding. The small studio Minerva Theatre, which opened in 1989 under Sam Mendes' direction, upholds the tradition of the Tent Fringe sitting on the site of the spin off Tent which developed alongside the growing reputation of the Festival Theatre. Today the Minerva plays host to some of the best new cutting edge drama.

Annually in July the Chichester Festivities Festival offers a stellar programme of classical music concerts, talks and music and outdoor events across Chichester's many venues including Chichester Cathedral and Theatres, Goodwood, St John's Chapel and at The Venue. Alongside the annual Chichester Festivities in July, Chichester offers a year round programme of events and festivals including Jazz in the City Weekend Jazz Festival in September, the Real Ale & Jazz Festival also in July and numerous events at Chichester Cathedral and the nearby Goodwood Estate. The popular Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place in mid-July.

Chichester Festival Theatre, Oaklands Park, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 6AP. Box Office Tel. 01243 781312. Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 8pm (6pm when there is no performance and on Sundays 2 hours prior to performance). The refurbished Brasserie in the Park Restaurant and the Upstairs Bar are on-site and ample parking is adjacent.

• Chichester Hotels
• Chichester Bed and Breakfast
• Chichester B&B

Pallant House Art Gallery Chichester

Cutting edge drama and outstanding theatre breaks are not the only prestigious arts on the menu in Chichester. The Pallant House Art Gallery is essentially one of the best art galleries in the world to see contemporary British Art. With a changing programme of exhibitions, recent ones have included one of Britain's best Pop Artists of the 1960s Colin Self. The Pallant's collection features the best of British 20th century artists - Paul Nash, Walter Sickert, Peter Blake, Lucian Freud, Andy Goldsworthy, Richard Hamilton, Henry Moore and many more feature. The gallery also holds important work by international artists and often plays host to talks by artists, for example a recent talk was given by Portuguese artist Paula Rego on her life with artist husband Victor Willing (1928-1988).

The gallery gained a new modern wing to the Grade 1 Listed Queen Anne Town House in 2006. The extra wing was much needed to house the ever growing definitive collection of British 20th Century Art held here which began with Dean Walter Hussey's first gift of work by Henry Moore, Ceri Richards, Sutherland and John Piper. Galleries within guide you along a journey through 20th century British Art, setting the subject within various thematic contexts. Rooms 1 to 3 hold the Historic Collections with other rooms following themes such as 'Britain and Post-Impressionism 1860-1925', 'Surrealism in Britain', 'Pop Art and Post-War Figurative Art', 'Neo-Romanticism in Britain' and 'Britain and International Modernism'.

Thoughtfully displayed and thematically arranged, as well as friendly and accessible to the newcomer (friendly guides are on hand in most rooms), the Pallant House Gallery in Chichester is regularly acclaimed as 'One of the strongest and most interesting holdings of 20th-century art in Britain'. (Mark Fisher, Britain's Best Museums and Galleries, Penguin 2004). What's more, it continues to grow and improve each year so regular visits are recommended.

Pallant House Gallery, 9 North Pallant, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1TJ. Tel. 01243 774557. A restaurant/cafe and extensive art bookshop are on-site. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Thursday 10am to 8pm. Sunday and Bank Holidays 12.30 to 5pm. See the Pallant's webguide right for details on free open days, special exhibitions and entrance prices. Guided tours are available to groups. The Pallant House Gallery is centrally placed in Chichester, just a short walk from Chichester Station and Chichester Cathedral.

• Holiday Cottages in Chichester
• Guest Houses in Chichester
• Holiday Flats in Chichester

Oxmarket Arts Centre Chichester

Situated within the ancient church of St Andrew-in-Oxmarket which dates from the 13th century, the beautifully and painstakingly restored Oxmarket Arts Centre boasts six exhibition spaces exhibiting mainly visual arts. Around 150 shows and exhibits run here through the year and entry is free.

Local artists are particularly well represented in exhibits, with work often reflecting the Sussex landscape, and the centre is a host venue for 'Music on Sundays' jazz sessions, as well as talks and workshops. Find out what's on at the gallery this season via the Oxmarket Online guide.

Oxmarket Galleries, Oxmarket Centre of Arts, St Andrews Court, off East Street, Chichester West Sussex PO19 1YH. Tel. 01243 779103.

Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4.30pm. Directions and map are via the website.

• Chichester Accommodation
• Chichester Guest Houses
• Hotels in Chichester

Restaurants & Shops in Chichester

A huge choice of restaurants are in and around Chichester city centre complimenting the city's leading role as British theatre and arts top spot. A wide choice of British and Continental restaurant choice is available (see full restaurant listings via the Visit Chichester tourist guide).

Alongside restaurants visitors also have a huge choice of character pubs, inns and bars around the city centre as well as the Festival Theatre's own newly refurbished on-site Brasserie Restaurant. Everything from Fine French to budget Pizza sits within Chichester city centre. A good choice of Indian restaurants are here too and find a wide selection of character pubs, inns and fine restaurants in the Chichester area around Midhurst, Petworth and Bosham.

Chichester is a Fairtrade city and you'll find an excellent choice of award winning and independent food and retail outlets in the city centre. With its largely pedestrianised and compact city centre, Chichester is a West Sussex hotspot for fine shops alongside well known high street retailers. Unique gift shops, antique shops and bookshops all feature well in Chichester, often in character Georgian fronted shops. Th city has a busy bus and railway station, both centrally situated and a number of carparks including a large carpark next to the Festival Theatre, all of which make the ciy highly accessible.

• Bed and Breakfast in Chichester
• Chichester Hotels
• B&Bs in Chichester