Sheffield Theatres Arts Council Funding Confirmed Until 2022

Sheffield Theatres has today announced that it will continue to be funded by Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO).

The Theatres is currently part of Arts Council England's National Portfolio. Today's news confirms that the Arts Council will continue to support Sheffield Theatres at a standstill level, contributing £1,279,865 each year for four years commencing in 2018.

Dan Bates, Chief Executive of Sheffield Theatres commented:

'I am delighted that we have confirmed funding from Arts Council England as an NPO. During this last funding period we have been recognised as Regional Theatre of the Year for the third time, won 9 UK Theatre Awards, transferred two shows to the West End and toured 8 productions across the UK. We've also welcomed over a million people through our doors for more than 200 productions on our stages, and expanded our community engagement programme to include Dementia Friendly events, a greater number of accessible performances and more family friendly activities attracting thousands of people to create and participate with us every year.

We are grateful to ACE for recognising our contribution to creating great art for everyone by making this award. This funding gives us a solid foundation on which to grow and diversify work over the next four years.'

Artistic Director, Robert Hastie, added:

'We welcome the news that Sheffield Theatres' funding has been confirmed, and thank the Arts Council for its continued investment in the work we do. This money plays a vital role in ensuring our doors are open to everyone, and that our plans for the future continue to have the ambition and the reach that put us at the heart of the city and the cultural life of the UK.'

This funding news comes as Robert Hastie has embarked on his inaugural season as Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres. His first production, Julius Caesar, was met with widespread critical and audience acclaim in May this year. The theatres are currently staging a fully accessible production of The Who's Tommy in the Crucible; preparing to open a regional première, Tribes, in the Studio and bringing a new play, What We Wished For, to the stage with a large community cast of over 80 people drawn from Sheffield People's Theatre. Last week Sheffield Theatres also confirmed that new musical, Everybody's Talking About Jamie, made in Sheffield in February this year, will transfer to the West End in November this year.

Lord Robert Kerslake, Chair of Sheffield Theatres Trust commented:

'We are grateful for the Arts Council's continued commitment to us.

Sheffield Theatres' is a vibrant organisation with huge ambitions for the future. Over the next four years we will build on our success: continuing to create, tour and transfer the bold and enriching work for which we are so well known; reaching all 75,000 children and young people in the city alongside the hundreds of thousands of audiences who visit every year; and diversifying our workforce, the work and our audiences to reflect the community of which we're such a integral part.

It's thanks to the ongoing support of the Arts Council and Sheffield City Council that we're able to pursue our ambitions and create such remarkable work.'

The Theatres receive public funding from both the Arts Council and Sheffield City Council. This funding equates to 13% of its annual turnover - a vital contribution to the Theatres' operations. Sheffield Theatres generates its remaining income through fundraising, commercial hire, bars and catering operations and, most significantly, through ticket sales. Sheffield City Council has supported Sheffield Theatres' Arts Council application with a 4 year funding commitment of £291,600 per annum.

Mary Lea, Sheffield City Council cabinet member for Culture, Parks and Leisure said 'Sheffield Theatres' impact on the city and its people is huge and we are very proud of the significant contribution the theatres make to Sheffield's cultural ecology. We are delighted that the Arts Council has rewarded its strong performance with this continued national funding.'