£500k lifeline for Cap Theatres
Capital Theatres gets £0.5 million emergency funds
The Scottish Government has announced an emergency grant of £500,000 for Capital Theatres, the charity which runs Edinburgh’s King’s, Festival and Studio theatres.
Capital Theatres CEO Fiona Gibson described the funds as a “short-term financial lifeline”. The charity missed out on previous funding allocations, getting £250,000 – less than the smaller Lyceum and Traverse theatres.
King’s facade, latest proposed design. Bennets Associates May 2020
Capital Theatres is in a double jeopardy situation over the funds it has saved towards the planned £25million refurbishment of the King’s (see King’s Double Jeopardy).
The funds should go both towards the refurb and also unlock further matched funds. Instead they are being spent on keeping the venues open and staff employed. The charity estimates it will need to spend £1million by March.
The grant is part of a £2.25 million package to three “flagship” cultural venues. The Burrell Renaissance Project in Glasgow has been awarded £750,000 and the V&A Dundee will receive £1 million.
campaigned tirelessly
Fiona Gibson welcomed the package saying: “Today’s emergency funding announcement from the Scottish Government for Capital Theatres is greatly appreciated.
“It is the short-term financial lifeline that we have campaigned tirelessly for in recent months.
“We would very much like to thank the Scottish Government for their support and recognition, acknowledging the crucial contribution our theatres provide to the local, national and cultural sector economies. This will enable us to continue supporting our core staff, freelancers and communities alike.”
£98 million
Announcing the package, Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “This latest funding announcement brings the Scottish Government’s total COVID-19 support package for our culture and heritage sectors to just under £98 million.
“We know further support will still be needed, and the major issues presented by the pandemic are not going away, which is why we will continue to work in partnership with the sector to support them to not only survive the pandemic but to thrive in future.”
ENDS
