Vital £2million lifeline for Sheffield theatres as audiences invited back to enjoy new season

The money, which comes as part of the government’s Culture Recovery Fund, will support Sheffield Theatres to continue to create work, connect with audiences and make further adaptations to the buildings in preparation for the Lyceum and Studio theatres reopening next year.

Dan Bates, chief executive of Sheffield Theatres said: “We are over the moon to be given this funding – it’s a vital lifeline that will enable us to continue to make bold and brilliant theatre in Sheffield on our stages and online, to provide employment to artists and theatre professionals, many of whom have been without work for most of this year.

"This funding will also support us to further adapt our buildings and three performance spaces as we look towards a full reopening next year.”

Robert Hastie, artistic director of Sheffield Theatres, added: “The funding is the support we need to cement our plans to create more performances next year.

"It enables us to continue to welcome audiences through our doors and to reach people online; it enables us to invest in our communities, creating projects and events that bring people joy and bring people together.

“This week we have opened ‘Here’s What She Said to Me’, the first full production of the ‘Together’ season: a programme of work that offers audiences a brilliant, safe and socially distanced live experience in the Crucible theatre.

"We’ve conceived this season, with limited resources, because we believe that the work that we create with and for our communities and the act of being together to experience great theatre can and will make a difference to how our city gets through the pandemic and how we ultimately recover.”

Sheffield Theatres will present its ‘Together’ season in the Crucible, where a number of measures have been introduced to create a Covid-secure environment.

Customers are provided with e-tickets and an arrival time to enable a contactless and well managed entry to the building.

For more information or to book tickets, visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.