update report - Autumn 2023
We’ve just finished our busiest period to date, with grants for over 1700 theatre tickets approved for disadvantaged children in the last three months. We are also excited to announce the receipt of a generous donation of £10,000 from an anonymous donor (see more below).
We start our Autumn newsletter with some great feedback from children with special needs who recently attended the Globe Theatre in London. This community group made it a priority to have parents accompany the children. We think this policy has big advantages, as we see below, as the parents can share in the experience and build on this initial encounter.
Above: Cotswold Youth Theatre Group at The Globe Theatre
Comments, Globe theatre visit, children with special needs
"Amazing performance – thank you so much for organising and for the grant which allowed me to accompany (my daughter), we talked about it for the whole weekend - I don’t think she has spoken to me that much since she hit puberty!"
"My daughter is dyslexic and I was so happy when I saw her saying all of her lines along with the actors on stage… it was a very emotional moment for me. A year ago I would never have believed she would have memorised Shakespeare and saying it along with professional actors. What an amazing experience for her - truly inspirational"
"I’ve never been to London and the Globe was so cool and looked so old next to all the modern buildings. When we were inside it didn’t feel like we were in such a busy place as London - everything else just went away and it was just all about the play. I loved it. It was great being able to walk along the Thames at lunchtime and see London Bridge and the eye - Oh and the tour, I learnt loads - I loved all of it!"
Above: Students from two Cheltenham schools raise the roof
of the Everyman Theatre, after enjoying "An Unexpected Twist"
theatre works! has received a major boost from an anonymous donor who sent us £10,000 in September
Our average grant per child is £12.50, including transport costs, so this will give 800 children a chance to attend a theatre performance. Because the theatre works! founders fund the charity’s running costs, 100% of your donation goes to providing theatre tickets.
Support your regional theatre
Regional theatres in the UK and the US are facing difficult challenges. We hear the same messages over and over: theatres are staging fewer shows, they are having fewer performances, and they have been cutting staff. A number of factors are at play here. During the pandemic, people got out of the habit of going to the theatre. Fewer people are going into city centres to work and then stay on to go to the theatre. A challenging economic environment means discretionary spending has been reduced.
At theatre works!, we are committed to helping regional theatres during these difficult times. A number of theatres tell us that our grants are arriving at an important time, as without them they would be making cuts to their educational outreach programmes. We give grants of up to £5,000 per theatre.
We also send children to London theatres. The cost of sending children to London, with the often-high transport costs, makes this a much more expensive proposition. We appreciate the excitement and wonder that is part of a child’s trip to a London show and we will continue to fund some of these trips.
In the US, regional theatres face the same challenges as in the UK. We have identified five regional theatres in the US that we are supporting this year and are looking to expand that number.
Interview with Co-founder and Chair of theatre works!, Sharon Studer
Our Chair was interviewed for the podcast series, Open Drama, which goes out to 5,000 teachers UK every month. It’s a half hour in length and is targeted to theatre and drama people working in education. We had a grant application within the first 24 hours after the podcast went out.
Above: Pool Academy, Redruth, students visit The Hall for Cornwall to see
The National Theatre’s touring production of “Ocean at the End of the Lane”
We need your support.
theatre works! is growing fast. The good news is that at the present rate of growth we expect to be able to support over 6000 children this year to attend theatres. As we expand, we need donations and volunteer help to help us in our fundraising efforts to meet the increased demand. Please get in touch now at info@theatreworks.global if you think you might be able to help us.
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