Derby Theatre remains as an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation and receives an uplift in funding
Derby Theatre is thrilled to announce that it will remain as part of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio, plus receive an uplift in funding, which will result in it receiving a total amount of £3,180,000 over the next four years (£795,000 per annum), a £1,180,000 uplift on current funding to support key strands of the Theatre’s programme of work from 2018 to 2022.
Arts Council England (ACE), the UK’s leading cultural funder, will support, and provide a further uplift in funding, to Derby Theatre for another four years as a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) from April 2018 to help achieve ACE’s goal of ‘Great art and culture for everyone’. Along with the Theatre’s unique partnership with the University of Derby, this award will ensure that the Theatre can continue to make professional home-grown productions here in Derby, attract the best of touring theatre, provide support and development opportunities for regional artists, offer even more inspiring learning and participation opportunities for audiences, and remain a thriving hub for culture in the city and the wider region.
Arts Council England currently funds Derby Theatre as one of their NPO organisations and in recognition of their Learning Theatre status, a unique model for learning which provides a wealth of learning and participation opportunities for audiences, students, theatre practitioners and the wider community. Continued National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) funding will develop this further, creating more inspiring opportunities for more people to get involved.
In the Midlands, Arts Council England will be funding 132 organisations, of which 42 will be new entrants to the portfolio and 17 will receive increased investment. The remaining portfolio organisations will continue to receive the same amount of funding as in 2017/18.
Over the four year funding period, 2018-2022, £282,158,400 will support organisations locally. In 2017/18 this is funding of £62,109,213 and in 2018/19, it will be £70,539,610, an increase of 14%.
The awards are one strand of Arts Council England’s total investment in arts and culture during 2018-22, which also includes the National Lottery funded Grants for Arts and Culture scheme and strategic funds used to support targeted programmes of work that deliver the ambitions set out in Great art and culture for everyone, Arts Council England’s 10-year strategic framework for the arts and culture.
Given the intense competition for Arts Council England funding at this time, Derby Theatre is particularly delighted to remain as a National Portfolio Organisation and receive an uplift in funding and to be recognised in this way for its unique model as a Learning Theatre and its innovative partnership with the University of Derby.
Since the appointment of Artistic Director Sarah Brigham at the beginning of 2013, Derby Theatre has emerged as a thriving producing house and continued NPO funding will also develop this popular key strand, to ensure a regular programme of high quality, home grown productions made and produced in the city.
Sarah Brigham (Artistic Director and Chief Executive, Derby Theatre) said:
“I am absolutely delighted that Arts Council England has decided to continue funding us as a National Portfolio Organisation, and thrilled they have also offered us an uplift of £1.18 million over the next four years. This landmark decision is a testament to the work we have delivered in the last few years, which has seen the Theatre truly open its doors to the community, resulting in increased audience numbers, more support from other funders and critical acclaim from the national press for our productions and way or working. A huge thank you must go to the University of Derby, who continue to support the Theatre, and to the audiences and communities who continue to show their passion for the venue, as well of course to the staff and trustees who have worked tirelessly to ensure that we have built on our artistic vision of being at the heart of the community of Derby and beyond.
This uplift in funding will allow us to develop more work for families, work for our D/deaf community and take our mission to support the next generation of artists even further.”
Professor Kathryn Mitchell (Vice Chancellor, University of Derby) said:
“I am absolutely thrilled that Derby Theatre, an important part of the University, remains as one of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations; and delighted that ACE has also offered the Theatre an uplift in funding. I believe this much appreciated uplift reflects the Arts Council’s recognition and support for the Learning Theatre model. We are very proud of this achievement, and would like to thank and congratulate the Theatre team, especially Artistic Director and Chief Executive, Sarah Brigham, as well as my colleagues at the University, for their continued hard work, and all that they have achieved through our unique partnership. Retaining NPO status and gaining this uplift in Arts Council funding will continue to greatly benefit audiences, students and future theatremakers alike. Our Theatre Arts and Technical Theatre students will continue to be provided with a wonderful wealth of opportunities to develop and enhance their learning within a professional theatre environment.”
Peter Knott (Arts Council Area Director, Midlands) said:
"The outstanding partnership with the University of Derby has enabled us to increase our investment in Derby Theatre over the next four years. They play a vital part in the local creative economy, producing great theatre that entertains and inspires us and it'll be great to see them create a programme which brings together artists, academics and audiences, as well as support for deaf young people and actors from low socio-economic backgrounds in Derby and beyond."