City support for the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
£500k grant from PUSH for new build
The New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth, was last week delighted to receive support of £500,000 from the Partnership of Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) to build a Creative Learning Space in the NTR’s new build.
The Creative Learning Space, coupled with the heritage building and state of the art equipment, will enable the New Theatre Royal to become a regional hub of training, skill development and enterprise for the creative industries. There will be improved chances for young people and adults working in the creative sector of the South East allowing Portsmouth to play a regional role in the development of creative offstage skills of which there is a nationally recognised shortage. Through this life long learning, the new facilities aim to vastly benefit the local and regional community and furthermore have a long lasting, positive impact on employment, graduate retention and city growth and wellbeing.
The local community will benefit enormously from a first class performance venue and opportunities to interact with professional companies, a workshop programmes for schools and colleges and a home for a junior company to be mentored by more established NTR associate companies, allowing young people to gain theatre experience and learn new skills.
Portsmouth City Council leader, Gerald Vernon-Jackson said “this work can help Portsmouth become a national cultural centre”.
In December 2011 work will begin on the construction of the space at the back of the theatre and the rebuild of the stage-house that was ravaged by the 1970s fire, in partnership with the University of Portsmouth that will build teaching accommodation for its Creative and Cultural Industries faculty.
The joint project will provide tangible benefits to existing residents by creating a new focus for the city centre and by providing new pathways to employment. Portsmouth already has a strong visitor economy and having a fully working producing theatre with a dynamic programme and a strong centre of learning will support the development of the city as a key European destination through the increased cultural offer. This will have a substantial impact on not only residents, but visitors and local businesses.
PUSH leader and Fareham Council leader, Sean Woodward, commented “I am delighted as Chairman of the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire to be able to agree a £500,000 grant to the New Theatre Royal. It will enable a positive enhancement of the cultural offer in South Hampshire as well as assisting in the creation of improved training, skills and jobs for the area.”
In collaboration with the University and other regional theatres NTR also aims to become a centre for the development of volunteers through accredited learning and CPD for corporate companies and volunteers, providing increased opportunities for volunteering.
University of Portsmouth Vice Chancellor, Professor John Craven, added “I am delighted that the collaboration between the University and the New Theatre Royal has gained additional support from PUSH. Plans to develop a centre for performance with the theatre complements the University’s development of new facilities for the visual art. These will greatly enhance opportunities for education and community participation in a wide range of creative activities. The project is already making significant progress based on previous support from PUSH, and the additional funding will give further momentum towards achieving our ambitions.”
The new space will also attract West End producers to rehearse and open their work in Portsmouth. As a result NTR will play a major role in developing the Made in Portsmouth creative brand and will nurture and provide opportunities as part of the city’s ambition to develop creative businesses in Portsmouth. It will also offer ‘incubation space’ for creative companies to develop their artistic work, network and share ideas.
Caroline Sharman, director of NTR “is thrilled with the news and is working with renewed enthusiasm on the schedule with the University and the developer as the race is now on to complete by September 2013.”
The New Theatre Royal will grow to be a dynamic cultural centre, a landmark 21st century, heritage building and a creative campus and working theatre in the heart of the city.
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