Lipman Theatre is the base and heart of the Performance courses, students and staff at Northumbria University. 

It is a fully functioning theatre space, with a sound system and lighting rig that gives performance students at Northumbria the opportunity to perform, learn and create work in a professional setting. 

Many of the current artists, actors, theatre makers and performers in the North East have come from Northumbria University and have tread the boards of this historical Theatre.

In August 2018, Northumbria University made the decision to remove the lighting rig from Lipman Theatre rendering this space completely useless. 

The decision was made without informing students who were already mid way through their dissertation module of their Masters Degree. These students now cannot perform in a space that was promised to them. 

This is a petition to have a fully working lighting rig returned to Lipman Theatre to fulfill the contract and promises that were made to current Northumbria students, and to allow this space to continue as a supportive venue to students and emerging artists of the North East.

Lipman Theatre has also been the home to a wide and diverse range of performance work and theatre shows outside of the university. It was the birth place of North East based theatre company Open Clasp 20 years ago. 

This historical theatre is the home of students, artists and a history of the North East. We the students want the lighting rig returned to Lipman Theatre so that we can continue the incredible story of this building and to contribute to the development and engagement of the arts in the North East.