About

Portsmouth Guildhall stages hundreds of live shows each year, along with conferences, banquets, weddings, parties and everything in between.

The Guildhall's reputation as an illustrious live music venue is guaranteed; it having hosted not only The Beatles, but also the world's first live airing of seminal Pink Floyd album, Dark Side of the Moon. The list of other eminent bands and artists to have walked the Guildhall stage is exhaustive, but includes: Led Zeppelin, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, U2, Arctic Monkeys, Blondie, The Rolling Stones, Miles Davis, Iron Maiden, The Ramones, Bob Dylan, Elton John, The Beach Boys, Radiohead, McFly, The Jam, Status Quo, The Smiths, Mumford & Sons, Van Morrison, The Who, Muse, Manic Street Preachers, The Kinks, Take That, Johnny Cash, R.E.M., The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Monkees, New Order, The Clash, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Cliff Richard, T. Rex, The Bee Gees, Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald.

It's not only musical greats who have performed at the Guildhall but also a number of comedy icons - among them Steve Coogan, Rik Mayall, Frankie Boyle, Jimmy Carr, Sarah Millican, Micky Flanagan, Lee Mack and Greg Davies.

Outside of live performances, the Guildhall is also home to the Portsmouth Music Experience, which details all of the above history and more.

Anyone simply wanting to spend time inside a venue that has housed some of the greats is well catered for, with a cafe that's open year-round and a number of other events, such as frequent beer festivals and a number of business expos.

An up-to-date list of all the events on the Portsmouth Guildhall calendar can be found on its website.

The Lens

The Guildhall's studio space - The Lens - is a bright, fresh, and contemporary performance space that welcomes an exciting programme, including children's theatre & workshops, contemporary dance, drama, comedy, classical, jazz, blues, folk and world music.

The Guildhall is committed to supporting emerging talent in the region, with The Lens offering a 170 seat/200 standing capacity venue for bands and artists looking to grow their audiences.

In the heart of the city, Guildhall Studio is a cultural hub for the community offering a range of workshops, activity sessions and can also be hired to stage personal events.

The Base

Following a £1.3million investment, the basement of Portsmouth Guildhall has been transformed into The Base, an exciting new creative space for 11-25 year olds.

A safe and welcoming space, The Base provides access for young people to a band room with backline equipment, a production studio with a DJ mixing space, a multimedia suite with specialist software, a performance space, and a lounge/exhibition area.

Workshops – including ‘Build a Band’, ‘Drum and Bass Open Decks’ and ‘Cyphers with Music Fusion’ – allow young people to explore the space and test some of the kit The Base is equipped with, including a selection of electric, acoustic and bass guitars, amps, Mac Minis with creative software, a digital sound desk, and a full Pearl drum kit.

Free memberships for The Base are being offered to all 11-25 year olds within the PO postcode area, which can be signed up for online or on first visit. The Base removes barriers to engagement, prioritising young people who are typically under-represented in creative provisions and who may not usually have access to creative opportunities. It will also offer a nurturing environment for all, where young people can relax and explore their creative potential.

Young people were at the heart of the creation and development of The Base, with a specific youth panel influencing key decisions around the design, programming and initiatives.

The development has also seen the transformation of the Guildhall’s main toilet facilities, providing accessible and gender-inclusive facilities, plus a Changing Space facility.

The transformation has been made by possible through a series of funders including Portsmouth City Council, Arts Council England, The Foyle Foundation and The Clothworkers Foundation.

It was designed by award-winning Benedetti Architects, which counts the extension and redevelopment of the BAFTA headquarters in London among its projects, and multi-disciplinary design studio HemingwayDesign, which has a legacy and portfolio that spans four decades, with clients including Shelter, The National Trust, Southbank Centre and TFL.