Since the original Civic building was erected in 1877, it has consistently grown and evolved to meet the ever-changing needs of the town. The Civic has served Barnsley in many guises but is best known for being the home of Barnsley’s Civic Theatre.
Throughout its 130 -year association with the town, the Civic has consistently evolved and changed to meet the needs of Barnsley and the people who live and work here. Originally opened as a public hall, the building has been home to almost every important institution within Barnsley. During its lifetime, the Civic has been used as the town’s college, library, and was even the venue for the screening of the first talking film in the town. But the building is perhaps best known as being the home of Barnsley’s Civic Theatre which, faced with dwindling audiences and vital maintenance and repairs, was forced to close its doors during the late 1990s.