Fylde Council have approved a one-off capital grant of £250,000 to the Lowther Pavilion Trust for the internal refit of the newly constructed education centre and studio theatre annex.
The grant, fully funded from the Capital Investment Reserve, is subject to conditions detailed in the full committee documents found here: Executive Committee Thursday 23 May 2024
Lowther Pavilion Theatre is the only dedicated theatre in Fylde Borough, and both the theatre and the surrounding gardens are managed by a charitable trust (registered charity 1117054) of which Fylde Council are one of ten trustees drawn from the local community.
As a trustee, Fylde Council support the charity through two principal methods: by providing ground maintenance and ancillary services for the gardens, and through an annual subsidy of £43,668 to support the operation of the Pavilion theatre.
The latest phase of the charity’s ambitious expansion project is a cutting-edge studio theatre and education centre, providing a new space for community-centric arts experiences, amateur dramatics, and inclusive learning programmes across diverse ages and abilities. The trustees have been very successful in securing financial support for the project, allowing the completion of the new structure, and have secured competitive quotes for the accompanying internal refit.
Fylde Council are one of the partner organisations approached by the charity for support in securing funds for the internal refit. If approved, the recommendation to provide a one-off grant of £250,000 will terminate the annual subsidy, with no subsidy being paid beyond the current financial year. This will allow the refit to commence immediately after the external works, avoiding additional expense and securing the current work quote, while helping the trust towards their objective of becoming self-sufficient.
To find out more about the exciting expansion project at Lowther Pavilion, and to see what’s on, visit the Lowther Pavilion website: https://lowtherpavilion.co.uk/
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