Theatres Trust funds 10 theatres at risk including Doncaster Grand on the road to reopening

The 10 theatres to receive a share of the £74,835 fund are Amulet Theatre in Shepton Mallet, Derby Hippodrome, Doncaster Grand, Margate Theatre Royal, Mechanic’s Institute in Swindon, Morecambe Winter Gardens, Oswaldtwistle Civic Centre and Theatre, Prince of Wales Theatre in

Cannock, Salford Victoria and Theatr Ardudwy in Harlech.

The theatres are all on the Theatres at Risk Register 2025, published by Theatres Trust in January, and are at various stages in their journey towards restoration and revitalisation.

The grant programme aims to help the restoration, reopening or revitalising process for Theatres at Risk through funding expert support with focuses on increasing organisational resilience, improving skills and engaging more people with community and heritage projects.

Work funded in this round includes condition surveys, business planning, fundraising and audience development strategies, a viability study and a governance review.

Joshua McTaggart, CEO of Theatres Trust says, All the theatres on our Theatres at Risk Register are special buildings that have real potential to bring joy and opportunities to their communities.

"We are thrilled to support 10 of these fantastic theatres with essential strategic projects that will lay the foundations for their revival. We look forward to supporting them through this journey and seeing the progress they make.

“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 deals

with the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis and difficult funding landscape.”

Stuart McLeod, Director England - London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “It’s fantastic that the next round of theatres that will benefit from this important project by the Theatres Trust have been announced.

"Theatres are integral to our communities but have faced unprecedented challenges in recent years, with many at risk. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, they will have a chance to adapt and change for a thriving future, with the legacy of this project felt for many years to come.”

Sue Bowers, Director of Pilgrim Trust said: “We are delighted that this funding partnership continues to provide encouragement and support for these important theatrical buildings at the heart of their communities, helping to chart their way forward to sustainable futures.”

For more information on Doncaster Grand visit https://doncastergrand.uk/