Some northern winners and losers in the Arts Council funding round announced today include:
- Since Oldham is currently a ‘Levelling Up for Culture’ town, the Coliseum Theatre was not expecting to lose its National Portfolio Organisation status. The venue had applied for £615,182 a year over three years, totalling £1,845,546. Having been funded by ACE for decades, the Coliseum’s current business model relied on this funding, and as such the theatre is having to look again at how it will move forward. The Coliseum’s executive and senior management teams are working on this urgently.
- Theatre Porto in Ellesmere Port (formerly Action Transport Theatre) has received increased investment. Following a £2.8m capital programme which resulted in a new state of the art venue Porto are one of a few dedicated spaces in England centred on children and young people’s theatre and creativity.
- Hull Truck Theatre has been successful and will retain a standstill grant of £805,229 per year from 2023–2026 (the same amount the venue has received since 2020). The funding comes during a milestone year as the theatre celebrates its 50th anniversary.
- Leeds-based theatre company Red Ladder, which champions new writing, has retained core funding. It is a radical theatre company with 54 years of history, acknowledged as one of Britain’s leading national touring companies.
- Blackpool Illuminations becomes an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation for the first time—providing a funding boost of almost £700,000 over the next three years. A grant of £225,000 a year, starting in April, will allow the team to develop the work of Lightpool, the award-winning light art festival held in October every year.
- HOME has been awarded £3.9 million across three years and will remain in the Arts Council England National Portfolio for 2023–2026.
- Burnley Youth Theatre has been awarded £390,000 for the next 3 years, an increase of £65,469 per year, and will continue to be part of their National Portfolio as it heads into its 50th anniversary year in 2023.