Originally known as The Corn Exchange, the Palace Theatre Complex was opened in 1863 and was used for various purposes. Situated at the corner of London Road and Green Street in Kilmarnock, the Italianate tower of the Palace is a very distinctive local landmark and can be seen for miles!

In 1927 the Grand Agricultural Hall was added, a stage was fitted two years later and thereafter used as a grand concert room leaving the Palace to become successful as a theatre and a cinema.

Unfortunately by 1952, after some restoration work was done within the building, funds were insufficient to cover the running costs and the Exchange Theatre, as it was known then, was forced to close.

Four years later the recently formed Kilmarnock Arts Guild took over the building and the local council at the time showed their support by cutting the rent. An annual pantomime became popular with local residents and visitors and the Arts Guild also took various shows on tour.

Yet again, another setback in 1979 as the interior of the whole building was devastated by fire and the Palace was once again abandoned, but only for a short period as the local authority completed the first stage of its refurbishment by 1982. The doors opened to the public again and by 1985 the second stage of improvements had been completed to the entrance foyers and backstage facilities.

Thereafter, the Palace Theatre Complex has grown from strength to strength with many high profile bands appearing in the Grand Hall and a long list, too numerous to mention, of famous actors appearing on stage.

The complex today now boasts a 503 seat theatre, a 900 seat concert hall, rehearsal rooms, exhibition rooms, art halls, a cafe-bar and reception meeting rooms. Not bad for a building where farmers and merchants traded cereal grains!