The Theatres Trust, the National Advisory Public Body established under a 1976 Act of Parliament "to promote the better protection of theatres," is creating a new small grant scheme to provide grants of under £5,000 for theatres in need of funds to address urgent and longer-term capital needs, and improve their physical condition, accessibility and operational viability. 

The Small Grants Scheme is aimed at theatres run by charities and not-for-profit groups who can demonstrate the value improvements to their theatre buildings would make to their work within local communities. Grant recipients will demonstrate that they run a regular theatre program of professional, community and/or amateur work presenting more than 30 performances a year.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation hopes that its donation will encourage other organizations and individuals to give to the Scheme. In a press statement, Madeleine Lloyd Webber, Trustee for the Foundation, commented, "I am thrilled The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation has been able to award a grant to The Theatres Trust to help them launch the Theatres Protection Fund.  We hope this will enable a number of small grants to be awarded, backed up by the expertise that The Theatres Trust can provide, to ensure worthy projects can proceed. Our theatres and their heritage must be cherished.  I sincerely hope that others, especially those who have been lucky and successful in the theatre, will be encouraged to match the Foundation’s funding and allow the Theatres Protection Fund to widen its support in the future."

Further details on applying to the Small Grants Scheme can be found at www.theatrestrust.org.uk.