Second Round of Small Grants Announced by the Theatres Trust

LONDON, January 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Six theatres have been awarded funds towards small, high impact capital projects totalling £24,535 in the second round of grants from The Theatres Trust's Theatres Protection Fund Small Grants Scheme. They are the Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells; Bush Theatre, London; Robin Hood Theatre, Newark; Hackney Empire, London; Citadel Arts Centre, St Helens; and the Bacup Royal Court Theatre.

Successful projects include regional and London-based theatres run by professional and amateur companies and the Fund's first award to a theatre in Wales:

• The Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells in Wales receives £5,000 for urgent repairs to its north riverside elevation.
• The Bush Theatre in London receives £5,000 to install new boilers and make much needed modifications to its heating system.
• The Robin Hood Theatre, Averham, near Newark receives £5,000 towards urgent electrical rewiring needed to reopen and restore the venue.
• The Hackney Empire, London receives £4,934 towards essential repairs to remove buddleia and repair the front facade of this East London Grade II* theatre and make the modern roof extension watertight.
• The Citadel in St Helens receives £2.401.50 to upgrade its badly degraded exterior promotional boxes and maximise marketing potential.
• Royal Court Theatre Bacup receives £2,200 towards urgent building repairs to its backstage areas.

Mhora Samuel, Director of The Theatres Trust said, "I'm delighted that we are able to help these six theatres with small grants from the Theatres Protection Fund particularly as the competition has been so strong. Since we started in May 2012 over 55 theatres have applied with projects totalling £225,527 - but we only have £50,660 to distribute this year. The support from Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation and Judy Craymer has been fantastic and made a real difference. Now we really need the help of others who would like to make a donation to the Fund and play their part to protect our much loved theatres."

The Small Grants Scheme helps theatres in need and at risk address urgent building repairs, improve their operational viability, introduce environmental improvements, and enhance physical accessibility.

The Theatres Protection Fund is run by The Theatres Trust. So far it has received £125,000 from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation (over five years), £125,000 from Judy Craymer MBE (over five years) and £660 in 2012 from a collection by J&C Joel from visitors at PLASA 2012.

First round grant recipients included: The Royal Court Liverpool, Soho Theatre London, Sleaford Playhouse, Wilton's Music Hall London, Oldham Coliseum and the Half Moon Young People's Theatre London.

For more details contact Kate Carmichael, kate.carmichael@theatrestrust.org.uk

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