Theatres Trust, the national advisory and advocacy body for theatres, has awarded grants totalling £88,000 to 13 theatres in England, Scotland, and Wales through its Small Grants Programme supported by The Linbury Trust.
The Small Grants Programme funds not-for-profit theatres to deliver small-scale interventions that make a big impact to the venue’s resilience, sustainability, accessibility, or the diversity of its audiences. The scheme supports theatres of all sizes to carry out small, practical projects that will help them thrive in the future.
From small, amateur-run community spaces, to larger, professionally operated venues, recipients in this latest round demonstrate the range of theatres benefiting from the Small Grants Programme. Grimsby Auditorium, a 2000-capacity venue in Lincolnshire, has secured funding to install a portable wheelchair lift in its main theatre. The new lift will replace the existing loading ramp to provide performers with a safe and independent way to access the stage. At the opposite end of the scale, funding will also support Lower Marsh Arts Club, a 50- seat fringe theatre in London, which has been awarded a grant for a full electrical rewiring and lighting upgrade. The switch to modern, more efficient electrics and lighting will reduce energy usage and keep maintenance costs down in the long term.
Other theatres receiving funding in this round include Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, the National Youth Theatre’s Workshop Theatre in London and The North Wall Arts Centre in Oxford. These theatres will use their grants to improve the accessibility of their buildings or productions meaning more people can experience, and participate in, live performances.
Funding will also support energy-saving environmental sustainability initiatives at Poynton Players Theatre in Cheshire, Merlin Theatre in Frome, The Lace Market Theatre in Nottingham, The Seagull Theatre in Lowestoft, The Witham in County Durham and Turret Theatre in Kirkintilloch.
The Witham, in Barnard Castle, is a Grade II listed arts centre in Barnard Castle. It serves the wider rural areas of Teesdale and as the largest and best equipped theatre locally, it provides performance facilities unavailable in most nearby village halls. The grant will fund the purchase and installation of LED lighting equipment for the theatre’s main performance space. This upgrade will help the theatre cut energy usage and keep costs down ensuring the theatre can continue to serve nearby rural communities.
The final two grants will support theatres with projects that improve their future viability and resilience. National Dance Company Wales has been awarded funding to upgrade the front-ofhouse toilets at The Dance House, its 100-seat studio theatre, to make its facilities more inclusive and welcoming. South London Theatre will use its grant to install new wireless networking equipment which will help streamline daily operations and open-up new opportunities to experiment with digital programming.
Theatres Trust CEO Joshua McTaggart comments “This latest round of the Small Grants Programme reflects the breadth of theatres across the nation benefitting from vital investment in their futures. From grants supporting energy saving projects at small amateur theatres to accessibility improvements at large-scale regional theatres, the impact of this funding will be felt right across the sector. Theatres Trust is pleased to see the innovative ways theatres of all scales and styles are responding to today’s most pressing challenges and we are delighted to be able to support them in working to secure inclusive, sustainable, and viable futures.”
Stuart Hobley, Director, The Linbury Trust comments Theatres across the land play such a key role in local life. And these grants will help so many more to thrive and be valued by everyone in the community.
The next round of the Small Grants Programme is currently open for applications until 12pm on Friday 15 January 2027.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
