Celebrations on the cards at Burnley Youth Theatre after whopping £400,000 cash grant announced

The money, totalling £390,000, has been awarded from Arts Council England and represents an additional investment of £65,469 per year, a recognition of how much the organisation has grown and developed over the past 15 years.

The youth theatre will use the annual funding of £130,000 to deliver exciting, engaging and inclusive cultural activities with children, young people and families in Burnley from April 2023.

Karen Metcalfe, Artistic Director and CEO of the youth theatre, said: “We are so happy to receive this funding to deliver such important creative work with local people. Being part of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio gives our organisation the opportunity to grow and to reach new participants and audiences both in person and online.

"Receiving an uplift in our NPO funding is vital to our organisation and recognises all the hard work that our staff, artists and volunteers do and the impact that they have on local communities every day.

"The funding comes at an exciting time for Burnley Youth Theatre as we head into our 50th Anniversary year in 2023 which we will mark with a full programme of events as we celebrate the past and look to the future.”

Burnley Youth Theatre is one of 990 organisations invited to be part of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio and receives a share of £446 million investment which will bring art, culture and creativity to more people, in more places, across the country.