Theatres Trust has awarded 10 theatres in the UK with £49,000 (€58,000/$58,000) in funding through its Small Grants Programme, in partnership with The Linbury Trust.
The grants support the UK’s not-for-profit theatres to make necessary repairs and improvements to enhance accessibility, sustainability as well as urgent repairs and maintenance works.
York Theatre Royal, a Grade II listed theatre, has been awarded £4,752.50 to purchase equipment to capture immersive recordings of live performances and deliver them via virtual reality technology.
Dundee Repertory Theatre has been awarded £5,000 to install variable speed fans in Scottish Dance Theatre’s studio to guarantee specific temperatures for dancers, as well as make the venue more energy efficient and save money.
Elsewhere and Malvern Cube Community and Arts Centre has also been granted £5,000, which will be used to install a platform lift and related improvements to ensure a more accessible route for all users.
Northern Stage in Newcastle has been awarded £5,000 to fix issues around sound reverb and travel. The grant will fund a solution to the reverberation problem and help to soundproof the space using sustainable wall panels.
Romsey’s Plaza Theatre, which was originally opened as a cinema in 1931, has also been awarded a £5,000 grant to refurbish its distribution board which dates from its conversion in 1982 and 1983.
South Hill Park Arts Centre in Bracknell has received £5,000 to install magnetic door holders which will ensure that doors to the theatre auditorium are easier and safer for staff and volunteers. It will also enable patrons with mobility issues better access and help the theatre to stay fire-compliant.
The Playhouse in Derry, Londonderry will use its £5,000 grant to refurbish its current bathroom facilities. The grant will be used to upgrade these facilities front and back of house including the installation of sensor-operated soap dispensers, low-noise hand dryers, new toilet seats and a full repaint of all toilet facilities.
Fringe theatre The Space is a Grade II listed church on the Isle of Dogs in London. The grant will fund the replacement of a front of house passenger lift, which is critical for the accessibility of the building.
Leicester’s The Y Theatre was built in 1900 and is a small-scale receiving theatre run by the local YMCA. The £5,000 funding will enable accessibility and safety improvements to the Victorian stage, including the installation of a passenger lift.
Theatre Royal Wakefield will receive £5,000 to install a CCTV system to deter antisocial behaviour and any damage to the theatre, which is a Grade II listed building.
Jon Morgan, director of Theatres Trust, said: “The wide array of projects funded this round show the many challenges that theatres continue to face. We are pleased to be able to help these theatres with projects that protect future use, remove barriers to participation and attendance, and make them more welcoming spaces.
Stuart Hobley, director of The Linbury Trust, added: “We’re very pleased to be supporting this work through our partnership with Theatres Trust. They set out the very important role our theatres play in contributing to local community life, and as places for everyone to enjoy.”
The next round of the Small Grants Programme is now open for applications, with the deadline falling on January 13 2023.
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