Theatres Trust has awarded grants totalling £60,000 (€68,000/$75,000) to seven historic theatres at risk in the UK.
The national advisory body for theatres awarded the grants through its new Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities programme, with the seven theatres also on the Theatres at Risk Register.
Theatres include the Burley Empire, Derby Hippodrome, Doncaster Grand, Margate Theatre Royal, Morecambe Winter Gardens, Salford Victoria and Tameside Hippodrome. Each theatre is on the most recent Theatres at Risk Register, which was published by Theatres Trust in February.
The grants programme is in place to help progress the restoration, reopening or revitalising of At Risk theatres. The money from these latest grants will support governance reviews, a conditions survey, an audience development strategy and an oral history project.
Theatres Trust director Jon Morgan said: “We believe every theatre on our Theatres at Risk list has the potential to be returned for use by their communities, providing performance venues of types currently lacking in their local areas and bringing much needed footfall to town centres. We are pleased to support these theatres with projects that will help each theatre move a step closer to their ultimate goal.”
Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities is funded by grants from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, as well as funding from the Pilgrim Trust and Swire Charitable Trust.
Eilish McGuiness, chief executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We welcome the great news that seven resilience grants have been allocated by the Theatres Trust to special but at risk theatres across the UK. We are delighted to work in partnership with the Theatres Trust with a grant of £249,000, which alongside funding from the Pilgrim Trust and Swire Charitable Trust, ensures that communities can consider how these important theatre buildings, so central to their communities and places, have support and funding to plan towards their future.”
Sue Bowers, director of the Pilgrim Trust, added: “The Pilgrim Trust is delighted to support this important programme which provides stepping stone support to help these at risk theatres on their journey to resilience.”