|
Sherman Cymru Receives £3.9 million Arts Council of Wales Grant for Redevelopment |
Sherman Cymru is pleased to announce that it has received a Capital Lottery grant of £3.9 million from Arts Council of Wales in order to undergo a much needed redevelopment which will see the theatre building completely transformed.Arts Council of Wales has awarded the grant to Sherman Cymru amounting to 74% of the total cost of the redevelopment which will see the public areas modernised, enhancing the audience’s experience as well as refurbishing the backstage areas and improving conditions for staff and participants. Director of Sherman Cymru Chris Ricketts comments: “This is really great news and we’re delighted with Arts Council of Wales’s support. The building work we will be able to do will vastly improve facilities, enhance our profile within the city and really enable us to be more ambitious with the productions we create and the performances we programme.” The redeveloped and refurbished building will have new seating in both theatres, new toilet facilities and the redevelopment of the foyer areas including improved access. Backstage areas will be redeveloped to improve rehearsal and office space enabling enhancement to the quality of the work. The building is being designed by Jonathan Adams at Capita Architecture, who also designed the Wales Millennium Centre. Sherman Cymru Chairman Emyr Jenkins said: "Our redevelopment plans are aimed to give the Capital City of Wales's only producing theatre the venue it, and its audience, deserves - something of which we can all be proud." The only producing theatre in South Wales, Sherman Cymru produces several new productions a year, most notably the award-winning Deep Cut in 2008 which was a sell-out hit at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2008, before transferring to London’s prestigious Tricycle Theatre earlier this year. Sherman Cymru also annually produces popular Christmas productions. Sherman Cymru’s Learning and Engagement team have worked with almost 7000 young people in the past year alone through the Youth Theatre and Acting Out Cardiff, which allows 14-16 year olds to study for a BTEC in Performing Arts at the theatre, and various other projects with young people, asylum seekers and refugees. Arts Council of Wales Chief Executive, Nick Capaldi comments: “Sherman’s contribution to the cultural life of Wales is longstanding and well established. We’re delighted to be making this significant investment of funding in the theatre’s future. Sherman Cymru is already one of the country’s most important theatre producers. It’s essential that it has the quality of facilities to match.” Sherman Cymru aims to raise the remaining £1.5 million needed for the scheme from a range of sources and has begun discussions with a variety of potential funders. A public campaign for individual donations will be launched in September and fundraising activities include Sherman Cymru staff members running the Cardiff Half Marathon. The current Sherman building will close its doors for the 18 month refurbishment in January 2010 following Sherman’s 2009 Christmas production A Christmas Carol. Sherman Cymru will move to temporary offices in Cardiff and continue to produce and tour theatre around the UK, and maintain its Learning and Engagement work. |
| web site: www.shermancymru.com |
| e-mail: |
Monday, June 29, 2009 |
Older news
stories have been carefully archived.
2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999