Chorley Theatre has been awarded £51,025 as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure they have a sustainable future, the Culture Secretary has announced today.
Chorley Theatre, run by volunteers from Chorley Amateur Dramatic & Operatic Society (CADOS), is one of 588 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support – with £76 million of investment announced today. This follows £257 million awarded earlier in the week to 1,385 organisations, also from the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
The venue opened in 1910 and this year is longest period it’s been closed since CADOS bought the building in 1959. They’ve run it ever since, with 2019 getting their best attendance ever. The pandemic has meant productions have been put on hold or cancelled, but there are still costs involved with looking after a century-old building, which is one of the oldest still-operating cinemas in the world.
This award should mean the venue’s survival is secured, and management can make plans for the future. The theatre has re-opened with a selection of films, event cinema and comedy (with social-distancing meaning a reduced audience capacity). It’s hoped that plays can restart in the coming months, along with opening up a new Studio space that will give more opportunity for members of the community to get involved.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:
“This is more vital funding to protect cultural gems across the country, save jobs and prepare the arts to bounce back. Through Arts Council England we are delivering the biggest ever investment in the arts in record time. Hundreds of millions of pounds are already making their way to thousands of organisations.
“These awards build on our commitment to be here for culture in every part of the country.”
Chair, Arts Council England, Sir Nicholas Serota, said:
“Culture is an essential part of life across the country, helping to support people’s wellbeing through creativity and self-expression, bringing communities together, and fuelling our world class creative industries.
“This latest set of awards from the Culture Recovery Fund builds on those announced recently and will help hundreds of organisations to survive the next few months, ensuring that the cultural sector can bounce back after the crisis. We will continue doing everything we can to support artists and cultural and creative organisations, with further funding to be announced in the coming weeks.”
Chorley Theatre’s Ian Robinson said: “Like many theatres the last few months have been quite a struggle, and we’re grateful to the support and patience of Chorley folk while we have been closed. All of us here love putting on shows and we can’t wait to be back doing them, and more than ever before. It would have been so sad to close permanently, and a real loss to the town so this award is gratefully received. This is award is a recognition of all the hard work by volunteers on stage and behind-the-scenes bringing high-quality shows to Chorley over the years. We’ll soon have space for over 400 people across our two rooms (that’s why we’ve dropped the “Little” from our name) so we look forward to welcoming back audiences and doing what we do best.”
