Albany Theatre
The Albany is a multi-purpose arts centre in Deptford, south-east London.
Facilities include a flexible performance space holding up to 300 seated or 600 standing and a bar, two studio theatres, a performance cafe and rehearsal / meeting rooms. The Albany currently hosts a varied programme of events including music, spoken word, theatre, club nights, and children's shows. Several arts and community organisations are based at the Albany including spoken-word promoters Apples & Snakes and Heart n Soul, who provide opportunities for artists with learning disabilities.
History
The original Albany Institute was opened in 1899 by its namesake, the Duchess of Albany. A daughter-in-law of Queen Victoria, the Duchess was an active patron of the Deptford Fund - a project founded to help women secure employment away from the dangerous local trades in the slaughterhouses. The Fund soon expanded its scope and the Institute was built to house the various activities that supported and involved a local population with high levels of poverty and deprivation.