‘Grant will help to bring town’s stage back to life’
Troubled theatre gets recovery funding from government
Maidstone’s Hazlitt Theatre has been awarded a share of Arts Council funding designed to help cultural gems recover from the pandemic.
Parkwood Theatres, which runs the Earl Street playhouse for Maidstone council, will receive £620,000 to spend across all its four venues.
It is welcome news for the Hazlitt, after fears it could be closed prompted an enormous public outcry last year.
It came after Maidstone council announced in November it wanted to end its contract with Parkwood Leisure after questioning why taxpayers were still paying £245,000 a year while no shows were on. The authority later made a U-turn.
The Hazlitt Theatre is among 2,700 venues which will share in the £1.57b Culture Recovery Fund.
The money is intended to offset the costs as the theatre prepares to reopen as lockdown restrictions ease.
Parkwood Theatres managing director Tony Doherty said: “This award is essential in allowing us to now focus on bringing all of our stages back to life.
“We are pleased that the Arts Council has recognised the importance and success of our operations, and are willing to
support us in our quest to continue to provide a great range of cultural opportunities.” Parkwood additionally runs the Hawth Theatre in Crawley, The Playhouse in Weston-Super-Mare and the Castle Theatre in Wellingborough.
Sir Nicholas Serota, chairman of Arts Council England, said:
“Investing in a thriving cultural sector at the heart of communities is a vital part of helping the whole country to recover from the pandemic.”
The Hazlitt has already confirmed its 2021 pantomime will be Jack and the Beanstalk, which will run from Saturday, November 27, until January 2.