Your Seat in History
Make a donation to our transformation project, An Icon for Everyone.
Support the much-needed building works to our auditorium and foyers, and as a thank you for your donation you can celebrate a memory, honour a loved one, or simply put your name or family name in lights with an engraved plaque on one of the new seats in the iconic De La Warr Pavilion auditorium.
By making a donation, you will become a part of our story – a legacy shared with audiences for years to come.
FIRST RELEASE: JUST 300 UNRESERVED SEATS AVAILABLE
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this special first drop, make a donation of either £250, £500 or £1000 and join us and take a seat in history…
Tier 1
DONATE AND SHARE A MEMORY, MESSAGE OR DEDICATION, JOIN EXCLUSIVE EVENTS
– Make a donation of £1000+
Make a truly lasting impact when you donate at this transformational level. A name and message will be engraved on an auditorium seat plaque for all to see (max. 60 characters). You’ll also enjoy invitations to exclusive events such as a plaque unveiling and building tours, and receive a seat certificate as a lasting keepsake or to gift.
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Tier 2
DONATE AND SHARE A MEMORY, MESSAGE OR DEDICATION
– Make a donation of £500
Name a seat and celebrate a special moment or memory. A name and message will be engraved on an auditorium seat plaque for all to see (max. 60 characters).
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Tier 3
DONATE AND NAME A SEAT
– Make a donation of £250
Name a seat with a plaque engraved with the name of your choice (max. 20 characters).
Please note: Only one seat dedication per donation. If you’d like to dedicate more than one seat please contact us at suzy.trevethan@dlwp.com.
Please amend the amount to fit your donation.
Since 1935, De La Warr Pavilion has been a cultural beacon for Bexhill and beyond, inspiring and welcoming people for 90 years. The heart of the Pavilion is its original 1930s auditorium where hundreds of thousands of people have experienced the joy of a great evening out, watching their favourite band, comedian, orchestra, opera or performance with their friends and family.
Headline acts include Bob Marley’s legendary first-ever UK appearance supporting Johnny Nash (in 1972), the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Keane, Clean Bandit, Example, Eddie Izzard, Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Alan Carr, Dionne Warwick, Joan Armatrading, 10cc, Gary Numan, Frank Turner, Bullet for My Valentine, and, more recently, Rag’n’Bone Man, Miriam Margolyes and Grayson Perry. Thousands have also taken part in shows on stage through schools and community performances. By naming a seat, you can be part of our continuing story.
So for the first time ever we are launching a new campaign, Your Seat in History. By donating and naming the the new seats that will be installed you will help safeguard the history and cultural standing of De La Warr Pavilion, just as the building celebrates its 90th year. By naming a seat, your support will help in our fundraising efforts for Phase 1 of the work, which will see the auditorium fully refurbished including modern, comfortable seating. For more information on our transformation project, An Icon for Everyone, visit here.
What happens after donating
Please note: after completing your donation, you’ll receive an order confirmation, followed within 24 hours by an email asking for your plaque wording. Please check your entry carefully, as this is exactly what will be engraved, subject to approval.
If you are a UK tax payer please consider opting into Gift Aid.
Gift Aid is one of the simplest and most effective ways of giving to charity. It is a scheme administered by HM Revenue and Customs which allows us to claim 25p for every £1 that you donate. So, for example, if you donate £20 we can claim an extra £5, making your gift worth £25.
You simply need to have paid or will pay an amount of income tax and/or capital gains tax that is at least equal to the tax that De La Warr Charitable Trust and other charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs you donate to will reclaim on your donations in a tax year.
Frequently Asked Questions
By donating to this Your Seat in History campaign and naming our soon-to-be installed new seats you will help safeguard the history and cultural standing of De La Warr Pavilion. Because of the nature of our events, where seats regularly move in and out, your seat will not be numbered and therefore we cannot guarantee that you will be able to sit in it when you book a ticket to a seated event.
Yes. To take part, you must make a donation of a minimum of £250. This donation is an essential part of the Your Seat in History initiative and ensures your seat is confirmed.
If you complete the checkout without including the donation, your transaction will not be valid. In this case, we’ll contact you to arrange the donation before your seat can be processed.
- Making a personal or family gift
- Becoming a Centenary Patron
- Becoming a corporate sponsor
- Introducing us to your network
- Leaving a gift in your will
- Being part of our community, story and legacy, playing a key role in protecting the building for future generations
- Behind the scenes visits to workshops, exhibitions and performances
- Business promotion and brand recognition
- Naming rights on building spaces
- Invitations to supporter events, private views, and project launches
- Regular updates from our Director & CEO
- Private use of our spaces
For the first release, only 300 seats are available. Once these are taken, the campaign may reopen with more, but availability is limited.
Unreserved means you can’t choose which specific seat your plaque will be placed on. Seats are allocated at random within the first 300 new seats in the auditorium.
Each online donation allows you to name one seat only. If you wish to name more than one, please contact us at suzy.trevethan@dlwp.com.
See How else could I get involved? above.
Depending on the tier you choose, you can include:
Tier 1 (£1,000): 60 characters (max.)
Tier 2 (£500): 60 characters (max.)
Examples:
Jo & Tim Smith
– Front row for Bob Marley in 1972
My Nanny Joy sang here with Glyne Gap School in 1975 – Ben
John River
– Loved being in the audience at every show!
Tier 3 (£250): 20 characters (max.)
Examples:
The Thomas Family
Victoria Smith
Jim & June Harrison
On completing the donation you will receive an instant order confirmation followed within 24 hours by an email to request your plaque wording – please check your entry carefully, as this is exactly what will be engraved, subject to approval.
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Tier 1: 60 characters maximum.
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Tier 2: 60 characters maximum.
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Tier 3: 20 characters maximum.
Seats are allocated at random within the first 300 new seats. We cannot guarantee specific locations in the auditorium.
We know that new seats are important to our audiences, so we’ve already placed an order with specialist suppliers ahead of our planned renovation of the Auditorium. However, we do not yet have a confirmed installation date for the new seats and the name plaques, which will replace the current temporary seating.
Yes – you’ll be able to see your plaque at seated gigs once the new seats are installed. It will be fixed to the back of the seat so that it’s visible to audiences in the auditorium. If you choose Tier 1 and donate £1000, you’ll also receive invitations to exclusive events, including a special opportunity to join us to see your seat plaque after installation.
Plaques will remain in place for 10 years (from plaque being installed) or the lifetime of the seat, whichever is shorter.
Yes – plaques can carry an organisation’s or group’s name, subject to approval.
If you are interested in corporate sponsorship please contact us at suzy.trevethan@dlwp.com.
We want your plaque to celebrate a memory, a loved one, or your own place in the Pavilion’s story. While most names and messages are welcome, we cannot include anything political, offensive, or promoting hatred. All submissions will be reviewed, and the final decision is at the Pavilion’s discretion to ensure every plaque reflects the spirit of this campaign.
Yes – donations made by individual UK taxpayers to Your Seat in History are eligible for Gift Aid. Donations made on behalf of an organisation, company, school, or community group are not eligible for Gift Aid under HMRC rules.
However, if individuals within a group each make their own donation and complete a Gift Aid declaration, we can claim Gift Aid on those individual amounts.
Donors giving £250 or more will be offered the opportunity to ‘name a seat’ as a token of thanks for their support. Plaque inscriptions including business names, slogans, or advertising make the associated donation ineligible for Gift Aid, regardless of donor status. We also welcome donations of less than £250, which will be acknowledged in a different way. For more information, please contact us at suzy.trevethan@dlwp.com.
Please note, individual donors are responsible for managing their own Gift Aid status and ensuring they meet the tax requirements.
UK limited companies may be able to claim corporation tax relief on charitable donations by deducting the sum donated from profits before corporation tax.
If you are a sole trader or in a partnership, you may be able to treat your donation as a business expense when you complete your tax return.
Please speak to HMRC, your accountant or tax adviser for guidance.
Your support will help safeguard the De La Warr Pavilion – repairing staircases, windows and roof – and fund creative opportunities for future generations. You can see more about our Capital Project here.
If you would like to support this campaign with a donation of less than £250 at this stage, please contact us at suzy.trevethan@dlwp.com.
You can contact Suzy Trevethan, DLWP’s Development Manager by emailing suzy.trevethan@dlwp.com.
Terms and Conditions
Your Seat in History is open to individuals aged 18 and over, families, organisations and businesses.
Naming a seat is a charitable donation: it does not include admission to events, nor does it guarantee allocation of the seat when booking tickets. Due to the flexible nature of the auditorium, your named seat will not always be in the same place and some seats will not be used for every performance.
While donors may request a specific seat, placement is at the discretion of the DLWP.
Donations may be made via www.dlwp.com/.
The minimum donation to name a seat is £250, entitling the donor to one seat plaque featuring a single name (up to 25 characters) on one auditorium seat.
A donation of £500 entitles the donor to one seat plaque featuring a single name (up to 25 characters) and a dedication or short message (up to 100 characters) on one auditorium seat.
A donation of £1000 entitles the donor to one seat plaque featuring a single name (up to 25 characters) and a dedication or short message (up to 100 characters) on one auditorium seat, as well as a seat certificate and additional benefits.*
Text must not contain offensive and political content and DLWP reserves the right to edit or reject unsuitable messages.
Plaques will be supplied and affixed by DLWP.
Plaques will remain in place for 10 years or the lifetime of the seat, whichever is shorter.
Donations must be made in full and all donations are final and non-refundable.
If you are eligible for Gift Aid and make a Gift Aid declaration when you contribute to the campaign, DLWP can claim an additional 25p from HMRC on every pound you donate. For example, a Gift Aided donation of £250 would be worth £312.50. If you are a higher- or additional-rate taxpayer, you may be able to claim the difference between your tax rate and the basic rate on your donation, via your self-assessment tax return or by asking HMRC to adjust your tax code. Donors are responsible for checking their Gift Aid eligibility and ensuring they pay enough UK tax to cover any Gift Aid claimed. Donations of less than £250 are eligible for Gift Aid but will not entitle the donor to a seat plaque. For information on Gift Aid and tax relief, please seek professional advice.
Your Seat in History is managed by De La Warr Pavilion, a registered charity, number 1065568.
The DLWP reserves the right to modify or cancel the Your Seat in History campaign at any time and for any reason. In the unlikely event of venue renovation or seat removal, the DLWP will make reasonable efforts to preserve or relocate plaques.
Donor information will be handled in accordance with De La Warr Pavilion’s Privacy Policy. Donors consent to the use of their name and message for campaign promotion, unless otherwise requested. If you wish to receive updates on the campaign, you must provide a valid email address when you make your donation.