Nottingham Playhouse Receives Lifeline Grant From Government's £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund

Nottingham Playhouse has been awarded £789,011 as part of the Government's £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure they have a sustainable future, the Culture Secretary has announced today.

Nottingham Playhouse is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support. £257 million of investment has been announced today as part of the very first round of the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks.

Nottingham Playhouse is one of the UK's leading producing theatres, creating a range of productions throughout the year as well as running wide-reaching participation schemes, youth theatres and its Amplify programme, which seeks to inspire and support theatre-makers from the East Midlands. In a typical year, the organisation earns c.70% of its income through tickets to live events, touring, hiring out the venue, workshops and show-related sponsorship. Since March, the theatre has been closed and this income has reduced to zero.

Support from the CRF will allow Nottingham Playhouse to partially reopen - for its Unlocked festival of live and livestreamed performances (21 October to 9 November) and socially-distanced panto Cinderella (27 November to 16 January) - and continue with its vital participation activity. It will also enable the organisation to consult, restructure and reimagine what its communities' need, as well as becoming more financially resilient during the ongoing pandemic.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:

"This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that form the soul of our nation. It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sector's recovery.

"These places and projects are cultural beacons the length and breadth of the country. This unprecedented investment in the arts is proof this government is here for culture, with further support to come in the days and weeks ahead so that the culture sector can bounce back strongly."

Chair, Arts Council England, Sir Nicholas Serota, said:

"Theatres, museums, galleries, dance companies and music venues bring joy to people and life to our cities, towns and villages. This life-changing funding will save thousands of cultural spaces loved by local communities and international audiences. Further funding is still to be announced and we are working hard to support our sector during these challenging times."

Stephanie Sirr, Chief Executive of Nottingham Playhouse said:

"We are extremely thankful to have been awarded what we requested from the Culture Recovery Fund which will see the Playhouse through to March 2021. It means we face the future with a great deal more confidence. We would like to thank everybody for their support of the Playhouse at this critical time."