Celebrating 160 years of The Mowlem Institute Charity - Inviting you to ‘Take Your Seat’

Patron Edgar Wright with the ‘best seat’ in the house – J13

The Mowlem has launched an ambitious fundraising campaign to help secure the Theatre and Cinema for future audiences and to mark a significant milestone in its history. Our fundraising ambition for 2023 is to raise £160,000 for 160 years of the Mowlem Institute Charity.

To kick-start the celebrations, we are excited to launch our Take Your Seat campaign. Take Your Seat is a chance to show your support by dedicating a seat in our auditorium to a lost loved one, family member, someone who has touched your life, a friend or why not for yourself! We’ve started the campaign by dedicating J13 to our first Patron, Award Winning Film Director Edgar Wright. Edgar grew up in Swanage and fondly remembers watching movies at The Mowlem as a child. We are delighted that Edgar has set the ball rolling on what will undoubtedly be an exciting year of fundraising.

Donations will fund necessary updates to the auditorium, including a new lighting desk and communications equipment to facilitate improved communication between Front of House and auditorium staff during live shows and cinema screenings, therefore enhancing your experience. Your donation will also contribute to the day-to-day operational running of ‘The Mowlem’ and reduce a small deficit that we accrued when we had to close during the pandemic, thus enabling us to continue to offer a variety of entertainment for everyone in Swanage and beyond.

In return for a donation of £200 per seat, we will engrave a personal message of up to 40 characters on a brass plaque and place it on a seat in the auditorium for 10 years. You can nominate a seat or have us choose for you. This is your chance to purchase a unique gift and leave a lasting legacy to every theatregoer, music lover, cinema buff, performer or creative who has passed through our doors. We invite you to Take Your Seat in the iconic Mowlem auditorium. Thank you!

To Take Your Seat, please either visit this Google Form or download and print this form, complete the fields and follow the instructions on the form. You can make payment through our secure Square portal here.

Please note:

  • Seats are subject to availability.
  • Dedications could take up to six to eight weeks to appear in the auditorium.
  • While we will try our best, we cannot guarantee exclusive use of your named seat. It may not be available to book at every event you attend. 
  • Your dedication will remain in the auditorium for 10 years. 
  • Companies can also dedicate a seat or seats. Please get in touch with takeyourseat@themowlem.com for details
  • You are welcome to visit us to photograph your seat when the Theatre is open and at the Operations Manager’s discretion.
  • Remember to tick Gift Aid, as it will make a massive difference to our fundraising efforts.