Theatres of all different scales and sizes awarded share of £88k

We are delighted to support a further 13 theatres across England, Wales, and Scotland with over £88,000 in grant funding for vital futureproofing projects.  

In the latest round of the Small Grants Programme supported by The Linbury Trust, 13 theatres will receive grants of up to £7,500 each to deliver small-scale projects that have a big impact on the venue’s resilience, sustainability, accessibility, or diversity of its audiences.

Recipients in this latest round demonstrate the breadth of theatres receiving support through the programme, with large-scale regional venues, like Grimsby Auditorium in Lincolnshire, and smaller community led spaces, such as the Turret Theatre in Kirkintilloch, set to benefit from the vital investment in their futures.

Amongst the grants awarded in this round are four projects to improve accessibility. The Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham and the National Youth Theatre in London have both received funding to invest in their automated door systems. The North Wall Arts Centre in Oxford has been awarded a grant to purchase captioning equipment to improve access for D/deaf, deafened, and hard-of-hearing audiences. Grimsby Auditorium will use its funding to install a new portable wheelchair lift in its main theatre to provide performers with safe, independent, and dignified access to the stage.

Funding will also support environmental sustainability initiatives at seven theatres, including Poynton Players Theatre in Cheshire and The Seagull Theatre in Lowestoft, who will both use their funding to install solar panels to produce their own renewable energy. The Lace Market in Nottingham has been awarded a grant to replace its ageing boiler with a greener alternative and Lower Marsh Arts Club in London, Merlin Theatre in Frome, Turret Theatre in Kirkintilloch and The Witham in County Durham will all use their funding to install energy-efficient and cost-effective LED stage lighting.  

The final two grants go to the National Dance Company Wales and South London Theatre who will both deliver projects that support their future viability and resilience. The National Dance Company Wales will make improvements to its toilet facilities at The Dance House in Cardiff, and South London Theatre will install new wireless networking equipment as part of a digital transformation which will streamline daily operations.

Download the full press release. 

The next round of the Small Grants Programme is currently open for applications. Find out how to apply.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Grimsby Auditorium