Polka Theatre today announces that they have hit their target and given away 4,031 tickets across 40 performances to 33 different schools or specialist units within schools, through their Curtain Up! scheme during the 2021/2022 academic year. Of these schools and specialist units, 70% are brand new to Polka.
Curtain Up! is Polka Theatre’s established free ticket scheme that supports primary school children every year from disadvantaged locations in Merton, Croydon, Wandsworth, and the surrounding boroughs to experience theatre – often for the first time.
In previous years Polka has given away around 2,000 tickets, but in March this year in response to the current cost of living crisis, they decided to double their Curtain Up! scheme. It was clear that schools were still struggling to take groups to the theatre for financial or operational reasons. They wanted to remove or reduce the financial barrier for schools to visit Polka by offering free tickets and travel support.
Executive Director Lynette Shanbury said today: “We’re absolutely delighted we’ve hit our target to give away 4,000 free tickets to children who otherwise just wouldn’t have got to see live theatre. We know from the feedback and seeing the ecstatic reactions of the children that it is giving them an extraordinary, memorable, joyful experience. Children need that right now and theatre is the place for that magic to happen.”
Curtain Up! is only available by application to ensure support reaches the most disadvantaged children living in the most marginalised areas, schools working with children with special educational needs, and schools with financial barriers to taking part in arts activities.
Polka intend to continue to reach at least 4,000 children each year through Curtain Up! in Merton, Croydon, Wandsworth, and other surrounding boroughs, and they will be continuing to fundraise to make that happen.
They want to thank all their committed current Curtain Up! supporters:
Ernest Hecht Charitable Foundation, The Peter and Teresa Harris Charitable Trust, Alf and Hilda Leivers Charity Trust, The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust, The John Thaw Foundation, Teale Charitable Trust, and Unity Theatre Trust.
To find out more about Curtain Up! visit https://polkatheatre.com/schools/funded-schemes/curtain-up/
