Northampton’s Royal & Derngate wins £538,000 Arts Council grant to refurbish auditorium
Royal & Derngate in Northampton has been awarded a grant of more than £500,000 from Arts Council England to help refurbish the Derngate auditorium.
The announcement was made on Tuesday April 14 by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The theatre says the funding will "transform the experience for our audiences and teams for years to come” and will “help build our resilience” and “deliver a theatre fit for the future”.
The funding comes after the theatre revealed it was consulting with staff over redundancies due to a number of factors, including rising costs. Last month, the Royal & Derngate said it would be “making a small reduction to its permanent staffing structure”. It is understood that 19 people were due to made redundant with most from the sales and box office staff.
The money from Art Council England’s Creative Foundations Fund will be used to refurbish the Derngate theatre’s auditorium.
Liz Johnson, midlands area director at Arts Council England, said: “Our Creative Foundations Fund invests in buildings and equipment to help keep venues across the country up and running, for everyone to enjoy. It improves sustainability and revitalises cultural assets, so organisations can provide a bolder and bigger programme of activity for their communities.
“We’re pleased to invest £538,000 in the Royal & Derngate so they can make urgent upgrades to the Derngate auditorium, and improve their Audio Enhancement system, which will lead to better accessibility and inclusion. The upgrades will reduce maintenance costs and improve the comfort and appreciation for audiences for many years to come.”
Holly Gladwell, Royal & Derngate’s deputy CEO, added: “We’re absolutely delighted to have secured this vital funding, which will transform the experience for our audiences and teams for years to come. At a critical time for the organisation, it 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.”
The refurbishment work on the Derngate auditorium is expected to take place in summer 2027.