As part of our Tricentenary celebrations in 2025, Barnes Bowling Club was proud to make a funding contribution to the OSO Arts Centre — our wonderful local theatre on Barnes Pond — specifically to support their Ticket Subsidy Scheme, which helps make theatre and the arts accessible to local residents who could not otherwise afford to attend.
About the Scheme
The OSO is a registered charity whose aim is to provide access to the arts for everyone in the community, regardless of financial circumstances. Working with local partners including the Castelnau Community Project, the Power Station Youth Club and local primary schools, the scheme offers 50% or 100% subsidies on ticket costs — covering Youth Theatre, classes, workshops and performances including the much-loved annual pantomime. The scheme supports around 300 local residents a year and costs £3,000 per year to run.
Who It Helps
The scheme supports around 300 local residents every year — primarily children and young families, as well as people with disabilities through offering a subsidy for an accompanying carer.
Done with Dignity
The OSO handles requests quietly and carefully, so recipients are indistinguishable from any other member of the audience — preserving the dignity and joy of the experience for everyone.
Why We Support It
The OSO is a treasured part of Barnes life — a fully accessible, welcoming venue on Barnes Pond that genuinely goes out of its way to make everyone feel at home. For us, contributing to the Ticket Subsidy Scheme as part of our Tricentenary felt like exactly the right thing to do. Three hundred years of community life on our green, helping to open the doors of the theatre just around the corner.