New home for National Theatre as capital projects get funding boost in Scotland

The National Theatre for Scotland is planning to refurbish a former warehouse in Glasgow’s Speirs Lock regeneration area after receiving £2m of funding from the Scottish Government. The new venue will include rehearsal rooms, technical and storage facilities and other areas to enable the building to be used for artistic, educational and community projects, but will not be a performance space. The project is part of the National Theatre’s plan to create a hub where artists, actors, writers and young people can work together in creating and developing projects. Richard Findlay, Chairman of the National Theatre of Scotland, said that the new venue “offers us a wonderful opportunity without compromising our 'theatre without walls' philosophy.” Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop confirmed the details of almost £7m for cultural capital projects this year and for the next two years, as part of the £205m programme of capital projects announced by Finance Secretary John Swinney in December. The money will also include £1.5m to top up Creative Scotland’s oversubscribed capital programme.