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Six ‘Theatres at Risk’ get a helping hand from Theatres Trust

UK – A total of £90,000 worth of support awarded as part of the new Theatres at Risk Capacity Building Programme.

Theatres Trust, the national advisory body for theatre, has announced the six theatres that will receive support through the first round of its Theatres at Risk Capacity Building Programme:

• Burnley Empire

• Morecambe Winter Gardens

• Peterborough New Theatre

• Salford Victoria

• Spilsby Theatre

• Swindon Mechanics’ Institute

The programme is designed to support theatres on the Trust’s Theatres at Risk Register to commission expert advice and acquire the skills and knowledge to push forward capital projects to help save their theatres.

This round of funding will support projects ranging from a ceiling void inspection to governance training to viability studies. The theatres are all on the Theatres at Risk Register 2019 but are at various stages in their journey to restoration and revival.

Musician, actor and Theatres Trust trustee Gary Kemp says: “We know how difficult it can be for theatres to raise funding for the early stage concept and viability works and for organisational support. These first stages of a project provide the vital foundations for both project and organisation, and we hope that with this support, these theatres will be able to make real progress.”

Theatres at Risk Capacity Building Programme is supported by Historic England, The Pilgrim Trust, Swire Charitable Trust and individual donors.

Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England says: “It’s great news that two of the historic theatres on the Heritage at Risk Register – Grade II* listed Morecambe Winter Gardens in Lancashire and Grade II* listed Mechanics Institute in Swindon – are being given a vital helping hand by being awarded a grant from this important new scheme. We are delighted to support this programme and to be able to provide our technical advice and expertise to help save important theatres.”

Georgina Nayler of the Pilgrim Trust says: “The Pilgrim Trust recognises the importance of supporting theatres at risk to save their buildings and give them a viable and sustainable future. This is not just because so many of the buildings are of outstanding significance, but also because a restored, vibrant and well visited theatre building can assist with the regeneration of the centres of our towns and cities. We are delighted to be funding this programme.”

Martha Allfrey Trustee of the Swire Charitable Trust says: “The Swire Charitable Trust is delighted to be supporting the Theatres Trust’s Theatres at Risk Capacity Building Programme. We applaud its goal of removing vulnerable theatres from the Theatres at Risk Register, thus securing the future of these vital cultural, community and heritage assets. Theatres Trust’s unique and intense work with these theatres can lend support in so many ways, offering exciting opportunities to the community and campaign groups involved – we will follow the progress of each project with great interest.”

23rd May 2019

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