Actors Sam West and Dame Janet Suzman have lent these impassioned words to the campaign:

For seventy-five years, the Shakespeare Institute has stood at the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon, moments away from Shakespeare’s home, his church, and the stages where his plays live on. Housed in the historic Grade II* listed Mason Croft, the Institute is a world-leading centre for Shakespearean scholarship, bridging the gap between academic research and live theatrical practice.

Now, the University of Birmingham plans to abandon Mason Croft and move the Institute away from Stratford-upon-Avon to an as yet unspecified location 

To sever the Shakespeare Institute from Stratford-upon-Avon and its home at Mason Croft is to destroy the very thing that makes it unique.

Why Mason Croft and Stratford-upon-Avon Matter:

An Unrivalled Cultural Setting: The Institute’s unmatched global reputation rests on its proximity to Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Holy Trinity Church, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the archives of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Moving the Institute away from Stratford breaks a cultural and academic ecosystem that cannot be replicated elsewhere.
A Purpose-Built Research Library: Mason Croft houses an internationally renowned, specialist library, of 60,000 carefully chosen books funded and built through the generosity of donors specifically to support Shakespeare research in Stratford. Those donors were specific about the importance of the Library’s sense of place.
Lack of Transparency and Consultation: This decision has been pushed through without consultation with staff, students, alumni, or local cultural partners, and with no thought given to what attracts students to this course in the first place, nor to the future of a protected heritage building.
Civic and Cultural Responsibility: Destroying a world-famous MA course which makes such good use of a Grade II* listed landmark threatens Stratford-upon-Avon’s cultural heritage and diminishes the town’s standing as a global hub for arts and humanities. Nor is it a move the University of Birmingham can be justly proud of.

We call on Vice-Chancellor Adam Tickell and the University of Birmingham Council to:

Halt all plans to close Mason Croft and relocate the Shakespeare Institute out of Stratford-upon-Avon.
Publish the full rationale, financial figures, and Equality Impact Assessments behind this proposal.
Enter into transparent, good-faith discussions with Institute staff, students, alumni, and Stratford’s cultural institutions to secure a sustainable future for the Shakespeare Institute at Mason Croft.

Sign this petition to stand with the town, students, scholars and Shakespeare lovers around the world. Save Mason Croft. Keep the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon.