Royal & Derngate is delighted to have been awarded a grant of over £500,000 from Arts Council England’s Creative Foundations Fund to help with the refurbishment of the theatre’s Derngate auditorium, as announced today (14 April) by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Liz Johnson, Midlands Area Director at Arts Council England, said: “Our Creative Foundations Fund invests in buildings and equipment to help keep venues across the country up and running, for everyone to enjoy. It improves sustainability and revitalises cultural assets, so organisations can provide a bolder and bigger programme of activity for their communities.
“We’re pleased to invest £538,000 in the Royal & Derngate so they can make urgent upgrades to the Derngate auditorium, and improve their Audio Enhancement system, which will lead to better accessibility and inclusion. The upgrades will reduce maintenance costs and improve the comfort and appreciation for audiences for many years to come.”
Holly Gladwell, Royal & Derngate’s Deputy CEO, added: “We’re absolutely delighted to have secured this vital funding, which will transform the experience for our audiences and teams for years to come. At a critical time for the organisation, it will help build our resilience and ensure we can deliver a theatre fit for the future while continuing to play a vital role in supporting the local economy and the wider cultural sector.”
Royal & Derngate is proud of its reputation as a thriving regional theatre. An important entertainment hub for communities across Northamptonshire and beyond, the three-stage and cinema complex is home to an acclaimed Made In Northampton self-produced programme as well as welcoming some of the most well-known acts and shows touring the UK.
The refurbishment work on the Derngate auditorium is expected to take place in summer 2027.
Royal & Derngate is one of 130 organisations across the country, and ten in the East Midlands, receiving a share of funding at this time, marking the first projects to benefit from the governments Arts Everywhere Fund, which aims to save cherished arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings across England. Today’s £5 million for the East Midlands which is administered and delivered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is made up three funds, The Creative Foundations Fund, The Museum Estate and Development Fund and The Libraries Improvement Fund.
Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said: “I want everyone, everywhere to feel a sense of pride about where they come from. Cultural organisations across the East Midlands are important custodians of local identity and play a key role in the story we tell ourselves as a nation.
“Our Arts Everywhere und is delivering on our commitment to support cultural assets across the country, increasing access and preserving them for future generations. This is demonstrated by grants announced today that will benefit ten culture venues, museums, and library services across the East Midlands.
“Arts and culture are the beating hearts of our communities, they have the power to unite us in the face of division and break down barriers to opportunity. We want to harness the power to help us build a brighter future for the people of the East Midlands.”
