The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, known for its generous funding, recently awarded more than half a million pounds to the Southwark Playhouse, the Old Vic and Hull Truck Theatre amongst other arts organisations. A total of six theatres are included in the latest round of funding from the foundation, of almost £567,000. The money will be used towards supporting projects that work with diverse communities, as well as young and emerging artists associate with the organisations.
The Old Vic Theatre Trust has been awarded £105,000 over the next three years to support its Old Vic 12 mentoring project, while the Lyric Hammersmith has received £30,000 to provide training and career guidance for young people from culturally diverse backgrounds. The programme will work with people aged 16 to 25, who have had no previous professional experience. This will include training in performance and technical skills. Salisbury Playhouse has also received £30,000 to encourage greater engagement from children from military families.
In smaller donations, Southwark Playhouse will use its £21,155 to support a scheme to develop young writers from south London schools, through which each writer’s work will be performed at the venue by professional actors. Hull Truck’s £20,840 will go towards its residency and bursary schemes, while Tangled Feet Theatre Company will use its £21,000 to support a mentoring programme for eight emerging theatre companies. The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation has also has awarded money to the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, to support the Heritage Angel Awards, and Hay Castle.
The foundation’s recent activity is not just funding others. Earlier in December the foundation published the results of research it commissioned into diversity in the theatre sector, following Andrew Lloyd Webber’s claim that UK theatre was far too white. The Centre Stage report was published as a result.