OSO Arts Centre gets a new sprung floor thanks to Community Fund grant
5 September 2026 · By Boroughly editorial — AI-assisted, human-reviewed.
Barnes' OSO Arts Centre is set to receive a new sprung theatre floor, funded through Richmond upon Thames' Community Fund — an upgrade that should make a tangible difference to the venue's day-to-day life.
A sprung floor is the professional standard for performance spaces: it absorbs impact and reduces the risk of injury, making it safer for dancers, actors and movement-based performers. The improvement also means the OSO can accommodate a wider range of productions and more easily reconfigure its stage and seating layout to suit different audiences and events.
The OSO is a busy fixture on the Barnes cultural calendar, hosting theatre, comedy, live music, exhibitions, workshops and community celebrations throughout the year. Local schools and visiting theatre companies also use the space regularly, so the benefits of the new floor will extend well beyond the centre's core programme.
The Council's Community Fund supports projects that strengthen neighbourhood life across the borough, and this investment is intended to protect the OSO's long-term future as a genuinely mixed-use community venue — capable of hosting everything from a wedding reception to a full theatrical production.
No start date for the works has been announced, but the council says the centre will be better equipped to serve Barnes residents once the floor is in place. Full details on the council website.