The Covid-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the entire Festival season for the first time in CFT's history. Despite this, the Theatre was determined to keep connected with audiences and the community, and moved much of its work online.

Live audiences were welcomed back in August for an outdoor Movies & Music Weekend; Youth Theatre members created videos for local care home residents; a new fundraising project, Young Carers Connect, raised £100,000 to reconnect Young Carers in West Sussex with education and the arts.

A production of Sarah Kane’s Crave broke new ground in October 2020, being staged in the Festival Theatre to socially-distanced audiences and simultaneously live streamed to audiences in 52 countries.