The Marlowe Theatre has received £4.4 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to transform Canterbury’s historic Poor Priests’ Hospital into The Hive, a creative learning centre for young people. The £8.5 million project will restore the 800-year-old medieval building and open it to the public for the first time in decades.

Key features include a dedicated studio space for young artists, restored medieval architectural elements, a riverside café, and community areas for performance and heritage events. The building will also house the Marlowe’s Writers’ Room programme.

According to Deborah Shaw, Chief Executive, the team aims to present the medieval spaces “with commissioned artworks and interpretation that help people connect with the building’s past in imaginative ways.” The initiative is projected to increase youth participation from approximately 4,000 annually to over 20,000, while welcoming 60,000 visitors per year. The building closes in late 2026 for restoration and is expected to reopen in 2029.