£100,000 fundraising drive continues to transform Northampton’s Derngate auditorium
Royal & Derngate is continuing its appeal for £100,000 from audiences, businesses and the wider Northampton community to help give its Derngate auditorium a “second act”.
The Northampton theatre launched the fundraising drive in July after securing £538,000 from Arts Council England’s Creative Foundations Fund towards a major refurbishment.
But the grant does not cover the entire project, meaning Royal & Derngate needs to raise a further £100,000 locally before work is due to take place in August 2027.
The money will help renew the auditorium’s seating and flooring and improve its audio enhancement system, creating what the theatre hopes will be a more comfortable, welcoming and inclusive venue.
Millions of people have taken their seats in Derngate since it opened in 1983, but more than four decades of use have taken their toll.
Holly Gladwell, acting CEO, said: “We need the support of our audiences and the local community to get the project over the line, with a target of £100K to raise.
“Refreshing the Derngate auditorium with new seating and flooring, and an improved audio enhancement system, will help build our resilience and ensure we can deliver a theatre fit for the future while continuing to play a vital role in supporting the local economy and the wider cultural sector.
"We are very grateful and encouraged by the support we have received so far with the campaign making steady progress as we aim towards our £100,000 target. Our audiences and local businesses have been incredibly generous, and we are enormously thankful for their support.
“Plans for next summer are now well under way as we prepare to replace the seating, enhance our audio access experience and renew the carpets throughout the auditorium. For anyone curious to see what is planned, a sample of the new seating will soon be on display in our foyers.
“With around 100,000 people expected to walk through our doors during this busy autumn period, we hope many more of our audiences will get behind the campaign and help us continue moving towards our £100,000 target.”
The year-long campaign, called Give Our Auditorium A Second Act, gives theatre-goers the option to donate when buying tickets or contribute directly online.
A contactless donation point is also being introduced in the theatre foyer this month, alongside a display featuring a sample of the proposed new seating.
Businesses are being encouraged to support the refurbishment through donations or sponsorship.
Derngate opened in 1983 as a multi-purpose venue capable of hosting everything from musicals and comedy to concerts, boxing and snooker.
It merged with the neighbouring Royal Theatre in 1999 to form Royal & Derngate, with the building’s last major refurbishment completed in 2006.
Donations can be made through the theatre’s Give Our Auditorium A Second Act appeal.