Take Your Seat FAQs
Your dedication
How many words can I ask to be on the plaque?
The maximum number of characters on each plaque is 30 which also includes spaces and punctuation. All
of the text will appear on single line.
However, if you would like the name on your plaque to be preceded above by 'In memory of', 'In
celebration of', or 'In appreciation of', this is possible and these words will not count within your 30
characters.
If I don't want to list an individual's name, can I request that a significant piece of music or play, a
location or anything else appear on my plaque?
Yes, of course. As long as this fits within the 30 character limit, then this is possible. Seat plaques cannot
carry any dedication that is political in nature, a form of advertising, or liable to cause offence to other
audience members. The Guildhall School reserves the right to ask for an alternative dedication if it is felt
that the requested text is inappropriate.
Do you have a standard format for dates?
There is no standard format for dates, but we suggest the following as possible options:
1979-84
1999-2001
12/9/92
Do you have any examples of text on plaques?
Mr Simon Russell Beale CBE FGS
[30 characters]
Dr James Murray Gibson
[22 characters]
In memory of
Jacqueline Du Pré
[17 characters – ‘In memory of’ does not count towards 30 characters]
John Carpenter Street 1961
[26 characters]
How big will the text be?
The text will be a uniform size on every plaque in both the Concert Hall and Theatre. The text will also be
rendered in 'sentence case', i.e. capital letters at the start of names/proper nouns, rather than in capital
letters or lower case throughout.
Confirming your dedication
How will you confirm with me exactly how my text will appear?
Once we receive your donation form, we will write to acknowledge your donation and provide a proof of
how your text will appear on your plaque. We will then ask you to send back a signed copy of this proof
for our records and this will be taken as your approval of the text and used for the engraving.
Will I be able to make changes to my plaque once it has been placed on a seat?
We will take great care to ensure that your plaque is correct against your approved copy before it is
affixed to the seat. Consequently, we will not encourage donors to make changes to their plaques once
they are in place. However, if a change to the dedication is required in the future, then you should apply
to the Development Office who will advise you of the cost of undertaking this.
Your seat
How will you decide which seat my plaque will appear on? Can I choose a specific seat?
Unfortunately, it's not possible for individuals to select the exact location of their named seat(s). Seats
will be named on a first-come, first-served basis and donors will be allocated the best seats in their
chosen donation category in each venue by the Development Office at the School.
If you would prefer your seat to be next to another donor's (e.g. a Director Seat in the Principal's row in
either venue) then please indicate this when you complete and return your donation form. Such requests
will require both seats to be named within the same donation category (Director, Artist, Supporter, and
Audience) and the donations to be made at a similar time.
As a rough guide, in the Concert Hall, Director Seats will be in the middle/front of the stalls and at the
front of the circle, Artist Seats will be in the middle of the stalls and the middle of the circle, Supporter
Seats towards the back of the stalls and the circle and Audience Seats will be the removable/flexible
seating at the front of the stalls. In the Theatre, Director Seats will be in the stalls, Artist Seats towards
the back of the stalls, Supporter Seats elsewhere in the auditorium and Audience Seats will be the
removable/flexible seating at the front of the stalls. In the Studio Theatre, as the seating is
removable/flexible all seats will be available as Audience Seats (there are no Director, Artist or Supporter
seats in the Studio Theatre).
The stages in the Concert Hall and the Theatre at Milton Court are designed to be exceptionally flexible.
Depending on the configuration used for each performance or production, some seats may not always be
available for audience members. Care will be taken to ensure that named seats are always visible.
Please note that plaques on Audience Seats at £300 may not always be visible for public performances
since they will be attached to removable and/or flexible seating in the three main venues.
Can a group of people name one seat?
Yes, of course. We already have several groups that are banding together to name a single seat. It would
also be possible for a group to name a sequence of seats in the same row in each venue.
Your plaque
How big are the plaques and where will they be located? Will they be fully visible to audience
members?
The brass plaques will be 10cm by 5cm and will be fixed on the back of the seats, making them visible to
audience members sitting behind the seats that have been named.
How long will the plaque remain on the seat?
The School undertakes that your plaque will remain in position for a minimum of 10 years, i.e. until 2023
if you name your seat before Milton Court opens. After that time, the School will endeavour to contact
you again to ask if you would like your seat to continue to carry your name.
When will the plaques be fixed to the seats?
The plaques for all seats named by 30 June 2013 will be in position for the official opening in September
2013. The next tranche of plaques is likely to be installed at the end of the year, ready for the Spring term
2014.
Your support
What will my donation support?
Your donation through the Take Your Seat appeal will support the Campaign for Milton Court. The
Campaign will transform the School by securing the support needed to develop its new facilities at Milton
Court, which will include world-class performance venues and fully-working modern training facilities for
our students. Further details about the building and the fundraising campaign can be found on the School
website at www.gsmd.ac.uk/miltoncourt
Will my name and my dedication appear anywhere else?
The main form of acknowledgement will be through the seat plaque. However, a full list of donors to
Take Your Seat will be published on occasion during the opening season of Milton Court.
Will I always be able to sit in my seat and do I get free entry to all performances?
Not always. However, if you book for performances in the Concert Hall and Theatre well in advance and
advise the box office of your preferred seat in each venue then it may be possible for you to sit in or
behind your seat on each occasion. Please note that plaques on Audience Seats at £300 may not always
be visible for public performances since they will be attached to removable and/or flexible seating in the
three main venues. Unfortunately, naming a seat does not entitle you to attend performances free of
charge.
Will I get discounts on tickets for future performances as a donor to Take Your Seat?
No. The only discounts the School offers for its ticketed performances are for the usual concessionary
groups.
05/09/2013