Outside Edge Theatre Company Secures £316,724 National Lottery Funding

Outside Edge Theatre Company, the UK's only theatre company and participatory arts charity focused on addiction, has received £316,724 from The National Lottery Community Fund over the next three years. The money will help Outside Edge run free drama, creative writing and movement workshops to help support those in recovery and people affected by addiction.

The funding will enable the company to reach and support more adults affected by addiction across London, providing 300 people each year with free opportunities to take part in drama and creative writing. Through six weekly drop-in groups, the funding will support 900 sessions over three years, creating 1,800 hours of creative activity that can help participants build confidence, develop supportive connections and strengthen their recovery. The funding will also help ensure these welcoming, accessible spaces remain available to people who may otherwise face barriers to taking part in arts and wellbeing activities.

Over the last 27 years, Outside Edge has created over 60 award-winning productions at prestigious London venues including Soho Theatre, Riverside Studios, the VAULT Festival, Hoxton Hall and Shoreditch Town Hall, and provided free drama and arts workshops and activities for thousands of participants. The company believes that creative engagement and exploring complex issues through drama can bring about positive change for those affected by addiction. Alongside workshops and creating shows, Outside Edge provides a holistic type of arts-based support, offering participants one-to-one Pastoral Care Support, Volunteer and Employment Activities, theatre trips and training and paid performance opportunities. Last year, the company delivered 461 creative activities, which supported 1,116 participants to improve their wellbeing and maintain recovery.

Artistic Director / CEO of Outside Edge Theatre Company, Matt Steinberg commented, “We are very grateful to National Lottery players and The National Lottery Community Fund for supporting our unique Creative Health activities across London. Three years of funding has enabled us to secure the future of our vital, life-saving work, and will ensure that members of London's Recovery Community can continue to access high-quality, evidence-based Creative Health interventions for years to come.” 

Hannah Bennett, Head of London Regional Teams, Southeast and East, at The National Lottery Community Fund said: “We're proud to be supporting Outside Edge Theatre Company, which is taking an innovative and creative approach to helping people tackle problems around addiction. It's vitally important that people facing these challenges have a safe, non-judgemental space to come to, which is why around 1 in 10 of our grants directly help reduce health inequalities, while 79% are aimed at improving wellbeing, physical health or mental health.”