Vast Rocks Revisited | Richard Chappell Dance. Photography: Fern Leigh Albert

Wide Open: Torbay’s Cultural Development, Paignton Picture House.

Wide Open is a new cultural programme for Paignton, creating opportunities for people to be part of dreaming up, making and experiencing great creative and cultural activities where they live. 

Wide Open is part of a major capital programme centred on Paignton Picture House, made possible by the Cultural Development Fund. Torbay’s Cultural Development - Paignton Picture House will see the successful reopening of the historic grade II* listed landmark in 2025, one of the earliest purpose-built cinemas in Europe. The aims of the programme are to improve the attractiveness of places through culture, and to support cultural leadership, local skills and the economy.

From January 2023 to March 2025, Wide Open will grow our cultural landscape for the long term, building connections between Paignton’s local heritage, culture, and the people who live here. The programme includes activities and events, alongside skills development, pathways into work and leadership development.

As coordinating lead for this element, Filament have developed a framework for delivery, drawing on discussions with key local partners. You can find more detail on our approach in the summary framework, here.

Wide Open is being coordinated by Filament, involving local culture and heritage organisations, including: Doorstep Arts, Paignton Library, Palace Theatre, Sound Communities, Tonic Creatives, and Artizan Collective and many others. Our approach is to build on Paignton’s strengths, working collectively to galvanise the energy, passion and knowledge of those living and working in the Town Centre. 

Alongside this, a digital engagement programme is being coordinated by South Devon College working with Sound Communities to create digital stories about Paignton and Torbay’s heritage.

Torbay’s Cultural Development - Paignton Picture House is a collaboration between Torbay Council, Paignton Picture House Trust, Torbay Culture, South Devon College and the Agatha Christie Festival Limited. It is supported by the Cultural Development Fund (CDF), the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) fund, administered by Arts Council England.