North East children and young people’s
theatre company, Theatre Hullabaloo, is celebrating the news that it has been
awarded capital investment of £1.5million from Arts Council England at Stage 1
of their capital investment programme, to realise its vision of a child-centred
theatre development on a site adjacent to Darlington’s Civic Theatre. The
£2.15million project, made possible by a commitment of £650,000 by Darlington
Borough Council, will include a 150 seat studio theatre, family café, creative
play spaces plus rehearsal and office space for the organisation.
The development, opening in Autumn
2016, will see an artistic and operational partnership between Theatre
Hullabaloo, Darlington Borough Council and Darlington’s Civic Theatre. The new
theatre, known as The Hullaballoon, will offer a rich programme of
performances, play installations, creative curriculum delivery and
family-focussed activities which will have an emphasis on opportunities for
younger children.
The Hullaballoon will also be a hub
for key partnerships with regional universities interested in developing child-centred
research in practice, as well as being available for use by local community
groups.
The announcement arrived alongside
other positive news that Theatre Hullabaloo will retain its core funding and place
within the Arts Council’s national portfolio of organisations for the period
2015 – 2018 with an additional £45,000 annual uplift to support its work with
children in areas of particular need. Continued investment will enable Theatre
Hullabaloo to sustain and develop its work as one of the UK’s leading companies
making theatre for young audiences both nationally and internationally,
reaching more than 15,000 children in theatres, schools and community venues
each year.
The £45,000 uplift in funding will
support the development of the annual TakeOff Festival, one of England’s principal
festivals of theatre for children and young people, which takes place across
venues in the North East of England every October, and sees some of the best
theatre companies from the UK and abroad perform in the region for audiences aged
from 6 months to 16 years. The additional investment enables the organisation
to extend the reach of its annual festival to children in areas such as rural
County Durham, where there is currently little cultural opportunity.
Miranda
Thain, Creative
Producer of Theatre Hullabaloo, said:
“The opportunity to build a
child-centred theatre in Darlington is a dream come true and as the only
theatre of its kind in the North, the Hullabaloon will have a hugely positive
impact for children and families based within the region for years to come. It
will also make a significant contribution to children’s theatre nationally and
internationally.
“Theatre Hullabaloo is proud to be
part of the National Portfolio and grateful to receive continued funding to
bring quality theatre to children and families in our region. The investment
also reinforces our position as an important cultural export for the North East.
“Investment decisions have been made
in the context of further cuts to the Arts Council’s budget, so we are
delighted that, despite those pressures, opportunities for children and young
people remain a priority.
“The additional investment in the
TakeOff Festival from 2015 onwards enables us to target world-class creative
experiences to very young children in communities that wouldn’t usually
benefit, building audiences that will be able to enjoy the rich creative
programme in Darlington’s new children’s theatre when it opens. These
opportunities not only bring communities together, but also challenge the
minds, inspire the imaginations and enrich the childhoods of the next
generation.”
Sharon
Paterson, Chair of
the Board of Trustees at Theatre Hullabaloo, said:
“Today’s announcement is the result of
an outstanding vision for children and young people and their engagement with
arts and culture in Darlington, and the tenacity and commitment of a huge
number of people, particularly in the key partnership with Darlington Borough
Council. Despite significant financial pressures, the Council’s commitment to
the arts and to supporting Theatre Hullabaloo to pursue this ambitious project,
has been outstanding and the Arts Council’s support of Theatre Hullabaloo is
testament to its commitment to children and young people in our region. We look
forward to working with our partners to realise this fantastic opportunity for
children in Darlington and beyond.”
Councillor Nick Wallis,
Cabinet Member for Leisure and Local Environment for Darlington Borough Council
says: “This is excellent news and a welcome support in realising our vision of
a Northern Centre of excellence for children’s theatre based here in
Darlington.
“We’re
committed to making Darlington a place where art happens, where the arts matter
and where arts and creativity are central to the town’s future identity and
economic success and that is why we’re contributing £650,000 from the sale of
the former Arts Centre. Our strong partnership with the Arts Council and
the work of Theatre Hullabaloo has been integral to taking this project
forward.
“The
funding will allow Theatre Hullabaloo and Darlington Borough Council to create
a nationally significant children’s theatre space, in addition to our historic
Civic Theatre, promoting excellent arts practice for children and young people
while bringing more people into Darlington to take part in and enjoy the arts.
But the space is not only for children and young people, it will also be used
by the wider community so will benefit everyone in the Borough.”
John Dean, Chair of Darlington for
Culture says: “We’re absolutely delighted that the proposal has been granted
funding, our members have supported it all along and it will be an excellent
addition to Darlington’s arts landscape.”
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you require further information,
images, or would like to set up an interview, please contact Kelly Jackson,
Communications Officer at Theatre Hullabaloo on 01325 352004 or email kelly@theatrehullabaloo.org.uk
