The team at Andrew Aughton Theatre Programming (AATP) is Andrew Aughton and Tom Forth.
Andrew is one of the UK’s most experienced theatre programmers. He has worked for 13 different arts venues in his 40-year career, was Chief Executive of Buxton Opera House for 15 years (1998-2013) and has been programming theatres and arts venues for 28 years.
In 15 years as CEO of Buxton Opera House, he expanded their venues from one to five, overseeing the building of a completely new venue (Pavilion Arts Centre) and increasing annual performances from 250 to 800. By 2013, the venue had generated box office and fundraising income of over £50m in 15 years, and made six-figure trading profits for over a decade.
At various times, he has also worked in performing, composing, teaching, musical direction and theatre production, but programming has always been at the heart of his working life.
Since 2014, he has concentrated on freelance work, programming for UK theatre and music venues, in a variety of town and city settings….
- * Cheltenham – Town Hall, Pillar Room, Pittville Pump Room
- Sutton – Secombe Theatre, Back Door, Cryer Theatre
- Preston – Guild Hall, Charter Theatre, LiVe
- * Sale – Robert Bolt Theatre & The Chambers (Waterside Arts)
- * Lincoln – New Theatre Royal
- Wigan – The Old Courts
- Halifax – Square Chapel Arts Centre
- * New Brighton – Floral Pavilion (main theatre & Blue Lounge)
- * Wrexham – William Aston Hall
(* = current client)
That’s 17 different spaces, for 9 clients, totalling over 4,500 productions booked in that time.
Tom graduated in Theatre Management from the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) and has worked at the Floral Pavilion, New Brighton for 16 years, first as Programmer and more recently as Programme Manager.
Tom joined AATP in May 2025, retaining his role at New Brighton, and adding the new role of programmer for Cornerstone, in Sutton-in-Ashfield, which opens in Spring 2026. Andrew continues to programme for the venues in Cheltenham, Lincoln, Sale, Wrexham and New Brighton.
Their focus with client venues is a combination of artistic excellence and financial achievement. Take a look at what current & previous clients have said about the work of AATP to see how true this is.