The Octagon Theatre

Who we are

Our vision is for our community to be stronger, happier and healthier with more creativity at its heart. Our mission is to use theatre and arts to create unforgettable experiences that celebrate, inspire and elevate our community.

We proudly make award-winning theatre in Bolton for local and national audiences, and life-enhancing opportunities for people to take part in the arts and culture. 

Our culture and values

We believe that theatre and arts bring people together. We’re brave, warm and down to earth. We promise you’ll be part of something magical!

Our values:

CREATIVITY We are imaginative, playful, artistic and resourceful. We are storytellers and we encourage everyone’s potential to express themselves.

INCLUSIVITY  We listen, learn and change so that we can become more inclusive. We want everyone to feel safe and at home with the Octagon. We are richer and stronger together.

CARE  We care about people, their feelings and wellbeing. We care about our work and doing the best that we can. We care about our community and our environment.

CURIOSITY  We are open minded, brave and willing to take risks. We enjoy learning and create a safe space for ideas and debate. We choose curiosity over judgement.

INTEGRITY We are authentic and honest. We treat people with respect and fairness. We are responsible and accountable. We deliver on what we promise.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

We are committed to diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and Global Majority backgrounds as they are currently underrepresented within the sector and within the Octagon. 

We also welcome proposals for flexible working around caring responsibilities and anyone looking for a positive work/life balance.

To fully embed effective equality, diversity and inclusive practices, we are working towards removing all barriers that staff and applicants may experience from underrepresented groups.   We are happy to discuss any requirements that candidates may have as a disabled person; someone with parental or caring responsibilities; or other reasons, and we will always try to make any adjustments possible. 

We are proud that the Octagon is registered with the Real Living Wage, Stage Sight, Parents and Carers in Performing Arts and are a Disability Confident Employer.