Theatres Trust, the national advisory and advocacy body for theatres, has awarded more than £100,000 in grants to theatres in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales through its Small Grants Programme with The Linbury Trust.
A record 24 theatres will receive a share of £107,498 in this round of the grant scheme, which supports not-for-profit theatres to be viable and thrive in the future. This is the largest number of projects supported yet by the Small Grants scheme. The theatres being supported include Studio 1A Theatre, in Bangor, Northern Ireland; Welsh venues Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Celynen Collieries Institute in Newbridge and The Welfare Ystradgynlais in Swansea; and the Barn in Banchory and Pitlochry Festival Theatre in Scotland. In England, theatres are being funded from the south west (Tolmen Centre in Cornwall) to the north east (Tyne Theatre and Opera House in Newcastle).
Projects supported include making improvements to accessibility (Sherborne Studio Theatre, Dorset; Almeida Theatre and Orange Tree Theatre in London), sustainability (Bristol Old Vic, Cambridge Junction, Leeds Playhouse) and digital technology use (Alexandra Palace Theatre, London; Colchester Arts Centre). A large number of recipients in this round are for urgent and essentials repair and maintenance works (Blackpool Grand Theatre; Horse + Bamboo, Rossendale, Trestle Arts Base, St Albans; Watermill Theatre, Newbury; Woodshed Theatre, Oxford; and London theatres Hackney Empire, Lyric Theatre Hammersmith and Stratford East).
Jon Morgan, Theatres Trust Director, says, Theatres Trust is delighted to be able to support more theatres with small projects to make a big impact to their sustainability, accessibility and inclusivity, as well as vital maintenance projects. This is the largest round of this scheme to date, with the high number and wide range of projects demonstrating the demand for investment in the UK’s theatre buildings to ensure they are fit for current and future audiences.
Stuart Hobley, Director, The Linbury Trust says, It’s great to see theatres across the UK benefitting from this grant and utilising this funding to make these incredible places more resilient, from reducing utility costs, to improved accessibility. These theatres are a fine example of the vital role arts and culture in local communities and places.
The next round of the scheme is currently open for applications with a deadline of 7th June 2024.
