The History of Exeter Phoenix – 25 Years On!
Published October 22, 2024
You might know that it's our 25th birthday this year - you might have even joined us to celebrate! But how much do you know about the history of Exeter Phoenix? Read on to find out more.
History of the Building
The Exeter Phoenix building built in 1909 was once part of Exeter University. It has had many uses over its time, including a military hospital (with some staff as well members of the public still claiming it is haunted - especially when closing up on their own!).
In 1942, after being damaged in the war along with other large parts of the city, the City Council commissioned an eminent town planning consultant, Thomas Sharp, to prepare a radical redevelopment plan for the post war reconstruction of the city. The plan was published as the book Exeter Phoenix - a familiar name!
Exeter Phoenix Rises
In 1984 Exeter City Council, The Arts Council and Devon County council between them bought the building from the university to create the Exeter and Devon Arts Centre, operated by an independent charity, and in 1997 with the help of National Lottery Grants the auditorium as we see it now was constructed and a lot of remodelling took place. The Organisation closed as the work took place and reopened as Exeter Phoenix in 1999.
Look out for notable artworks by local artists inside and outside the building - The Sun and the Moon stained glass window was commissioned from St Ives painter Terry Frost; the Unicorn statue by Simon Ruscoe and the Phoenix bird above the entrance created by Will Jackson. The bird hasn't moved since the early 2000s... But you might remember its glowing red eyes and impressive wingspan! It still rattles and scrapes its wings along the sides of the building in the wind.
25 Years On
Moving forward to the present day, over 2,000 events took place here in the last year with around 300,000 people through our doors! Our hard working bar staff pulled 101,433 not for profit pints in the last year - you thirsty lot!
But we are not just an events venue. We nurture a thriving arts scene through our Creative Hub, supporting artists, musicians, theatre companies, filmmakers and creatives at every stage of their career and practice. We welcome more than 150 organisations and community groups every year, and are proud to be a host venue for Exeter Pride, the original location of Exeter Respect Festival (and still host the after party), The Exeter Street Arts Festival and so many more. And our amazing team of volunteer stewards give over 2,700 hours of their time annually to support performances, screenings, events and festivals.
Most importantly, we wouldn't be Exeter Phoenix without the 25 years of support from our community, so thank you for your continued enthusiasm, passion and contributions to the arts in Exeter! Here’s to the next 25 years!
Exeter Phoenix 25 is taking over the Walkway Gallery in November and we need some images and ephemera to display!
To be a part of our exhibition, simply fill out the form here. We are happy to accept scans of your memorabilia so you do not have to part with the originals. Don't have a scanner? Try taking a photo, or bring it in to the box office who might be able to help.
