Theatres Trust Supports Seven Historic Theatres at Risk with Grants Totalling £60,000

Theatres Trust, the national advisory body for theatres, has announced the first round of grants to be awarded through its new Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities programme, which will go to seven theatres across the UK, all of which are on the Theatres at Risk Register.

The theatres to receive a share of the £60,000 fund are Burnley Empire, Derby Hippodrome, Doncaster Grand, Margate Theatre Royal, Morecambe Winter Gardens, Salford Victoria and Tameside Hippodrome. The theatres are all on the Theatres at Risk Register 2023, published by Theatres Trust in February, which highlights and supports theatres across the country that are at risk of closure or demolition, and which have architectural and community merit. The seven theatres being awarded as part of the Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities programme are at various stages in their journey to revival to become operational theatres that provide value to their local communities.

The grants programme aims to help progress the restoration, reopening or revitalising of these At Risk theatres by funding expert support. Work funded in this round includes governance reviews, a conditions survey, an audience development strategy, and an oral history project.

Theatres Trust Director Jon Morgan says, 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.

Funded thanks to a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund as well as funding from the Pilgrim Trust and Swire Charitable Trust, Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities aims to reduce the threat to At Risk theatres and strengthen the theatre sector's resilience as it recovers from the pandemic and deals with the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis and difficult funding landscape.

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, says, 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 says, 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.