Voting has begun to find the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre in 2018, sponsored by Theatre Tokens, and Darlington Hippodrome is in the running.

The winners of this year’s award will be decided by a public vote which closes on Tuesday 18 September. Votes can be cast at uktheatre.org/vote.

This year there are more than 175 venues across the country competing to take home the coveted title. The 12 Regional and National winners of the vote will be announced on 28 September 2018. The overall winner of the award will be announced at the UK Theatre Awards on Sunday 14 October.

In 2017 the award winner was The Mill at Sonning.

This is an opportunity for audiences to celebrate their local theatre and all they do for their local communities.

The UK Theatre Awards are the only nationwide Awards to honour outstanding achievement in theatre throughout the United Kingdom. This year’s ceremony will again take place at London’s historic Guildhall. The UK Theatre Awards are supported by White Light, Q-Park, Theatre Tokens, John Good, Harbottle & Lewis and Integro in association with Chubb.

Julian Bird, Chief Executive, UK Theatre, said: “Most Welcoming Theatre is a chance for audiences to celebrate their local theatre and for venues to shout about the incredible work they are doing day in day out. Theatres are the backbone of communities across the country and this campaign highlights the vital work they do”

For more information on the UK Theatre Awards and to book tickets visit www.uktheatre.org/awards

For more information about Darlington Hippodrome visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk