Sterts Theatre

Upton Cross, near Liskeard - East Cornwall's community theatre on the edge of Bodmin Moor

Sterts, Upton Cross, Liskeard, Cornwall, PL14 5AZ | 01579 362382

Currently closed. In September 2026 the board placed Sterts Theatre CIC, the company that ran the theatre, into creditors' voluntary liquidation, and the autumn programme was cancelled. The newly rebuilt Barn Theatre is still standing, and we very much hope this is a temporary pause rather than the end of 40 years of theatre at Sterts. There is no confirmed reopening date - please check the official website or phone 01579 362382 for the latest position before making plans.

Forty years of theatre on Bodmin Moor

Sterts began in 1986, when Anne and Ewert Sturrock turned a former pig farm at Upton Cross, on the south-eastern edge of Bodmin Moor, into a theatre. It grew into one of East Cornwall's best-loved arts venues - an arts and environmental centre with a gallery, workshops and a busy programme of drama, music, dance, comedy and family shows, much of it made by and for the local community. Its home-grown summer productions, cast from local performers of all ages, became a fixture of the calendar in the Liskeard and Caradon area.

For most of that time the heart of Sterts was its open-air amphitheatre. A great fabric canopy stretched over both the stage and the steeply raked seating, bringing performers and audience together under one roof while keeping the feel of an outdoor show among the trees - regulars learned to bring cushions and a blanket for cool moorland evenings.

The canopy did not survive the extremes of recent years. It was damaged by the record heat of summer 2022 and then by strong winds, and in 2023 the structure was declared unsafe and taken down. The insurance payout fell well short of the cost of replacing it, but Sterts secured £300,000 from the government's Community Ownership Fund towards a new, purpose-built, all-weather venue, alongside local donations. Demolition behind the old stage began in December 2023 to make way for the new roof.

Quick Facts

Founded: 1986, by Anne and Ewert Sturrock
Location: Upton Cross, about 5 miles north of Liskeard
Venue: Barn Theatre, powered by solar PV and battery storage
Parking: large on-site car park with disabled parking spaces
EV charging: charging points in the car park
Status: Closed - no confirmed reopening date

Did you know?

Before the Barn Theatre was built, audiences at Sterts watched shows beneath a giant fabric canopy that covered both the stage and the amphitheatre - an open-air theatre that could still go ahead when the moorland weather turned.

Upton Cross Cornwall Sterts Barn Theatre packed audience and live band on stage - East Cornwall live music venue — A full house in the new Barn Theatre, with the raked amphitheatre seating wrapped around the stage. (photo M. Frost)

The Renewably Powered Barn Theatre

The result is the Barn Theatre, which Sterts' own timeline marks as opening in 2025. Clad in timber with a dark metal roof and tall folding doors along one side, it sits comfortably in its rural setting, and it keeps what made the old venue special - the curved, steeply banked seating that puts every seat close to the action - while finally giving Sterts a year-round, weatherproof home. The building runs on solar power with battery storage, and there's a large car park on site with disabled parking spaces and electric vehicle charging points. Dance, comedy, music and theatre returned to the moor, with visiting bands and touring companies sharing the stage with Sterts' own community productions.

Upton Cross Cornwall Sterts Theatre Ben Mills Americana Revue American country rock concert - East Cornwall live music — Ben Mills and his live band performing American country rock on stage at Sterts in the Americana Revue, 25 July 2026. (photo M. Frost)

What happens next

Sterts marked its 40th anniversary in 2026, but the year ended in difficulty. With arts organisations across the UK under financial pressure, and autumn productions cancelled partly because of low ticket sales, the board of Sterts Theatre CIC announced at the end of September that it had placed the company into creditors' voluntary liquidation, saying it was "deeply sorry" it could not secure Sterts' future. The building itself is brand new, so we hope a way will be found to bring live performance back to Upton Cross. We'll update this page as soon as there is news - in the meantime, the Sterts website is the place to check.

Visitor Information

Sterts is currently closed - the details below describe the site for when performances return.

Parking

Large on-site car park with disabled parking spaces and electric vehicle charging points. Sterts sits on the B3254 at Upton Cross, about five miles north of Liskeard.

Facilities

The Renewably Powered Barn Theatre, an all-weather, timber-clad venue with steeply raked amphitheatre-style seating, running on solar power with battery storage. The site has also been available to hire for events throughout the year.

Disabled Access

Disabled parking spaces are provided in the car park. For questions about seating and access inside the Barn Theatre, Sterts runs an Info & Access line on 01579 362382 (weekday mornings).

Things to Do Nearby

Minions, The Hurlers & The Cheesewring - Cornwall's highest village, a couple of miles up the road, with Bronze Age stone circles and dramatic granite tors.
Siblyback Lake - watersports, fishing and a lakeside walking and cycling circuit on Bodmin Moor.
Golitha Falls - a National Nature Reserve near St Cleer, where the River Fowey tumbles through ancient oak woodland.
Liskeard - historic market town with independent shops, a short drive south.
Adrenalin Quarry - zip wire, giant swing, aquapark and go-karts at Menheniot, near Liskeard.

Nearby Places to Stay

Frequently Asked Questions

No - Sterts Theatre is currently closed. In September 2026 the board placed Sterts Theatre CIC, the company that ran the theatre, into creditors' voluntary liquidation, and its autumn productions were cancelled. There is no confirmed reopening date. Check the official website or phone 01579 362382 for the latest position.

The fabric canopy that covered the open-air stage and amphitheatre was damaged by extreme heat in the summer of 2022 and then by strong winds. It was declared unsafe and demolished, and the theatre was rebuilt with help from a £300,000 award from the government's Community Ownership Fund.

The Barn Theatre is the new, all-weather replacement for the old canopy theatre. It is timber-clad, keeps the steeply raked amphitheatre-style seating facing the stage, and is powered by solar panels with battery storage, with EV charging points on site. Sterts dates its opening to 2025.

Sterts was founded in 1986 by Anne and Ewert Sturrock, who created the theatre on a converted pig farm at Upton Cross. It marked its 40th anniversary in 2026.

Sterts is at Upton Cross, PL14 5AZ, on the B3254 roughly five miles north of Liskeard, on the south-eastern edge of Bodmin Moor and close to the village of Minions.

Official Website

The Sterts website may still show past events while the theatre is closed. Visit it directly for the latest news on the theatre's future, or view a live copy below.

Visit sterts.co.uk

Page last updated: 2 November 2026

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