UK - Theatres Trust is awarding six small capital grants to a range of theatres across the country from its UK Small Grants Scheme. Launched in April 2012, the Theatres Trust receives support from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation and Judy Craymer MBE awarding grants of up to £5,000 to theatres across the UK with charitable status to address urgent building repairs and help theatres in need and at risk.
Grants from the UK Theatres Small Grants Scheme are awarded as follows: The Place Theatre, Bedford; Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington; Leatherhead Theatre; Market Theatre, Ledbury; Grand Pavilion, Matlock Bath; Carnegie Theatre and Arts Centre, Workington.
Jon Morgan, director at the Theatres Trust said, “I’m proud that our UK Theatres Small Grants Scheme, now in its ninth round, continues to help theatres make significant improvements to secure and improve their buildings’ fabric. The results will provide a more accessible and welcoming customer experience for their communities.
The UK Theatres Small Grants Scheme aims to target theatres across the UK run by charities and not-for-profit groups that can clearly demonstrate the value capital improvements to their theatres would make to their work in local communities.
The Place Theatre, Bedford receives £3,335 to support interior and access improvements. Part of the project will involve purchasing a portable ramp which will make the stage more accessible to disabled performers and participants.
Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington, Devon receives £4,462 for its ‘Smartening Up’ project which will see the roof, guttering, windows, exterior doors and external lighting repaired.
Market Theatre, Ledbury receives a grant of £5,000 towards a new, purpose-built, multi-purpose Studio, which will be used for rehearsal space and as an additional dressing room space - where currently it has neither.
Grand Pavilion, Matlock Bath, receives £5,000 to support its ‘Keeping the Water Out’ project.
Leatherhead Theatre, Surrey, receives £5,000 to fund repairs to the external concrete of the building, which, if not carried out, will lead to further spalling and deterioration of the metal structure below the concrete.
Carnegie Theatre and Arts Centre, Workington receives £5,000 towards the cost of accessibility improvements.
Trustees of the Theatres Trust consider applications twice a year and will meet in June 2017 to consider further Small Grants Scheme awards. The deadline for Round Ten applications is 16 May 2017. Further details including criteria and an application form can be found: theatrestrust.org.uk/grants
(Jim Evans)

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