Local authorities

A group trying to buy a run-down theatre from a local authority is nearing its fundraising target.

The BBC reports the Save Novello Picture House campaign has raised £250,000 so far, including a £100,000 anonymous donation. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) gave the group until the end of October to raise £300,000 to buy the venue in the village of Sunninghill.

A  spokesperson for Save Novello Picture House said it is also in talks with actor Sir Kenneth Branagh, who is from nearby Reading, about the campaign and its future plans for the theatre.

Campaign Co-ordinator Alan Everett said local donors had provided vital support."It is thanks to this solid foundation that we are confident we will meet RBWM’s asking price of £300,000," he said.

"We also spent a productive hour on the phone with the ever-helpful Sir Kenneth Branagh who offered guidance that accelerated the next steps of our campaign and will further hone down the future vision and offering of the Novello."

A grade 1 listed arts centre in Somerset is set for regeneration using money from the government's Towns Fund.

The proposed work on Bridgwater Arts Centre will include new lighting and sound equipment, improved soundproofing and an additional 25 sq m of internal floor space.There will also be improvements to the venue's exhibition spaces and better wheelchair access.

Bridgwater Town Council, which is leading on the project, is inviting local businesses to tender for the work, with a deadline of the end of August for applications.

A total of £700,000 will come from government funds, with the council adding a further £66,800 and £22,438 coming from the arts centre's own funds. 

The town centre building was originally built in the 1720s. It was extended in 1919 when a billiard hall (later a theatre) was added. It became an arts centre in 1946.  

A spokesperson said the alterations "will provide significant improvement in the ability of the arts centre to properly utilise the building, to allow better access for all, and to provide improved facilities for building users and visitors".

Citizens Theatre in Glasgow has secured an extra £2m towards an ongoing refurbishment of the B-listed Victorian venue, the cost of which has spiralled from an initial £23m in 2018 to an estimated £30m.

On 20 June, Glasgow City Council, which had already contributed £6m to the project, agreed to pledge an additional £2m to help complete the works. 

The money, financed through Scotland’s Common Good Fund, which protects historic properties that benefit local people, will be released only after Citizens Theatre Ltd, which leases the venue, has secured additional funding.

Heritage Lottery Fund, Creative Scotland, and the Scottish Government have also contributed to the revamp of the 140-year-old council-owned building.

During a committee meeting, Councillor Ricky Bell said that without the extra money, the theatre would “struggle to reopen”.

The meeting was also told that the final cost can't be revealed due to commercial negotiations.
 
A council spokesperson said: "Whilst it is unlikely that this £2 million alone is enough to complete the project, positive discussions are ongoing with the UK and Scottish Governments to secure a total funding package within which a commercial settlement can be reached with the contractor and enable the theatre to be completed around December 20 this year."

A Citizens Theatre spokesperson said: “Today’s pledge of an additional £2 million funding support from Glasgow City Council is a significant contribution to the completion of the Citizens Theatre redevelopment. It was recognised that the theatre plays a vital part in Glasgow’s cultural offer and benefits communities across the city. 

"We are hugely appreciative of the council’s support during challenging times for public funding. Their leadership allows us to continue our conversations with the Scottish Government and other funders to secure the final package of funding required to complete construction works by the end of the year.”
 

A historic theatre in Slough, which had been a bingo hall until last year, is set to reopen as a live music venue.

Built in the 1930s, the Adelphi Theatre was converted into a bingo hall in 1973 and was operated by Buzz Bingo until April 2023.

Slough Borough Council (SBC) bought the building for £4.6m in 2018 but had to sell it in January 2023 as part of an asset sale after overspending by £14m during the last financial year.

The new owner plans to rename the venue the Crystal Grand and has applied to SBC for licences for live music at the theatre from 9:00 to 23:00 GMT every day, with recorded music until 01:00 each night.
 

Lancashire County Council (LCC) will begin a new round of its Crowdfund Lancashire scheme on 12 June, with the aim of supporting grassroots culture and sports projects across the county.

Developed in partnership with fundraising platform Spacehive, the initiative has financed more than 100 projects since launching in 2022.

As part of the scheme, organisations with an idea for a project can get up to £15,000 towards their target from the Lancashire Culture and Sport Fund while also allowing the public to support them, with contributions starting at £2. 

Parish and town councils can also submit plans to LCC, with up to £5,000 available. Individuals and businesses that want to benefit their community can get £1,500 towards their live crowdfunding campaigns. 

Preston-based artist studio The Birley has raised £28,307 for its ‘Bringing New Art to Preston’ project via the scheme. Rob Mullender-Ross from The Birley said the visibility the organisation had achieved through its programme of exhibitions and events had "provided us with a platform from which we can now credibly fundraise in the future".

 Peter Buckley, Cabinet Member for Community and Cultural Services, said: “Crowdfund Lancashire and the culture and sport projects it supports has already made a significant impact to the lives of people living throughout the county."

The deadline for projects to be created, pitched to the Lancashire Culture and Sports Fund and verified by Spacehive is 12 September 2024. The council is also offering online workshops and in-person sessions for the public to discuss ideas.

Derbyshire County Council’s plan to sell the buildings that house Buxton Museum & Art Gallery have caused concern among local campaigners, who fear the institution will be scrapped entirely as the local authority attempts to plug a £33m budget deficit.

Located in the historic Peak Buildings complex since 1928, the council-run museum closed suddenly in June 2023 after structural issues related to dry rot were discovered.

The local authority co-funded a significant refurbishment of the building in 2017 along with the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England, the Bingham Trust, the Wolfson Foundation, and the Paul Mellon Centre.

However, the council say the building is no longer viable due to “the potential costs and length of time which could be needed for us to bring the building back into use as a modern-day museum”.

Council Leader Barry Lewis said that the council had been left with “no choice” but to “reluctantly relocate” the museum and art gallery following ongoing building assessments, adding that work to move all artefacts would begin immediately, following which the building will be put up for sale.

“It would be far better for the building and town if the building was sold to a buyer who could invest in it and bring it back up to a high standard,” continued Lewis.

“This would be out of our reach as a local authority, and this way, we would be able to retain the sale price and re-invest in the museum when we find a new and appropriate location.”

He said the council remains “fully committed” to supporting the museum and its future in Buxton and that plans are being developed to display the collections locally in the interim period before a permanent home is found.

Despite Lewis’ assurance, residents have launched a campaign to save the museum. 

Supporters are concerned that the council has already cut or fully withdrawn funding to other heritage services to save money and are preparing to demonstrate outside the building on 8 June.

A statement from the campaigners to Museums Association said: “The lack of information has raised questions and fears that Buxton Museum & Art Gallery as we know it will be significantly reduced or scrapped altogether.

“This event [on 8 June] reflects concerns that the closure, coinciding with Derbyshire County Council's significant budget deficit and subsequent spending freeze in September 2023, will make it particularly challenging to resolve.

"The public event aims to highlight the scale of passion that the local community feel for Buxton Museum & Art Gallery and the valuable contribution that it has made to education, tourism, and cultural expression over the years.”