The New Vic Theatre has been awarded £248,990 as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, the Culture Secretary has announced today. The funding will support the theatre as it reopens for audiences and continues to deliver life-changing education and community work in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.
Fiona Wallace, New Vic Managing Director said: “This funding is vital in ensuring that theatres are able to deliver cultural, economic, health and education benefits that will help the country recover. For the New Vic, this funding will make a big difference across our theatre-making and our education and community work, and will help support us to continue to engage with local people through our activities at a time when people need it most. We look forward to bringing together a host of talented people to make our shows and deliver our projects as we make our plans for the future – actors, freelance creatives, staff and volunteers. Our thanks to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and to Arts Council England for their support in recognising what a big part cultural engagement will play in supporting future recovery.
“The New Vic is unique as the first purpose-built theatre-in-the-round in Europe, and its ground-breaking work integrating professional theatre-work with an extensive community and education programme. Culture and the arts have always played an important role for communities in North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent but will be needed more than ever as we cope with the health and well-being impacts of COVID-19”.
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