The Mercury Theatre in Colchester has been awarded a £187,000 grant over three years from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Arts-based Learning Fund.
The funding will support Future Foundations, an ambitious in-school theatre programme designed to empower Essex’s Key Stage 2 pupils through drama.
Delivered across seven Essex schools, Future Foundations targets students experiencing or at risk of Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), those with SEND, or facing potential exclusion.
The programme offers two strands: Literacy Through Drama, which creatively supports English curriculum learning, and Verbatim Theatre, a therapeutic-informed process helping pupils express their lived experiences through original performance.
Aligned with the academic calendar, the initiative places creative learning at the heart of school inclusion strategies, aiming to boost confidence, wellbeing, and classroom engagement.
It also supports academic progress in literacy and communication, while helping at-risk students transition into secondary education.
Teaching and Learning Assistants will receive professional development to lead drama-led learning and embed inclusive practices across school communities.
Catherine Sutton, Head of Programme – Education at Paul Hamlyn Foundation, said:
“The arts can play a vital role in engaging children in education and helping them overcome barriers to learning. Future Foundations has the potential to transform how children feel about school, boost their confidence and wellbeing and help them to learn and thrive in primary school and beyond. We’re delighted to support the Mercury Theatre and their school partners to build equity in education and make meaningful and lasting change – we look forward to learning alongside them.”
Forest Morgan, Head of Creative Engagement at Mercury Theatre, said:
“This programme is rooted in our belief that theatre has the power to transform learning, strengthen confidence, and amplify voices that too often go unheard. This grant enables us to embed creative, inclusive practice within schools, equipping staff and pupils alike to see drama as a vital tool for equity, learning and lasting educational change.”
Steve Mannix, Chief Executive of Mercury Theatre, added:
“We are thrilled that Paul Hamlyn Foundation has chosen to support us with such significant investment. This support will further complement our extensive Creative Engagement work in schools and community settings. It will build on our close working relationship with Essex County Council and Essex Education Authority ensuring that everyone can access the arts.”
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
