Theatre project in Warwick gets funding boost

Playbox Theatre enters its 33rd year of working for and with children and young people.

The Theatre group has started their 'Futures Project' after receiving an investment from Arts Council of England of £75,429 together with £29,406 from Warwick District Council RUCIS fund.

The £104,835 investment will enable Playbox Theatre to develop The Dream Factory in Warwick to create more facilities for the arts with young people.Over the next few months Playbox Theatre will implement the plan to introduce:

A new training studio

Expanded digital training and cross-artform digital inclusion

Extensive Front of House redesign and development including areas of relocation, meeting, café facilities, digital signage and improved IT support

A full Technical infrastructure update to lighting, sound and communication systems to bring the auditoria to state-of-the-art capability for creation of work.Mary King, founder and executive Director of Playbox Theatre, said: “This is the best possible start to the New Year. The 'Futures Project' is core to our ensuring that the work of the company continues to serve the community of young people in the years to come.

"With the new studios, upgraded facilities and technical support we will be able to develop exceptional programmes embracing the arts with new programmes coming later in the year. We thank the Arts Council England National Lottery fund, and the huge support we receive from Warwick District Council RUCIS fund and our own fundraising body, the Friends of Playbox."Emily Jane Quash, artistic director, said: “We now have the wonderful opportunity to upgrade the unique building that is 'The Dream Factory'; refreshing spaces that are now 20 years old, replacing our lighting and technical equipment so that our young people can enjoy a truly 'state-of-the-art' theatre complex and creating a further multi-purpose studio, which will have full digital and multimedia capabilities."The support of The Arts Council of England and Warwick District Council comes at a pivotal time for Playbox...the company is now in its 33rd year, and is about to celebrate the 20th birthday of The Dream Factory. We are delighted that this funding decision demonstrates a belief in the work of our company, and highlights the value of investing in young people and the arts. We cannot wait to start work!”Stewart McGill, consultant director, said today, “This wonderful news brings our complex right up to the minute and serves the new generation as the building has done since we opened The Dream Factory in 1999.

"Whilst being a wonderful affirmation of our work over the years it also makes us more than ever determined to provide every child with access to arts participation in the region. The decline of arts education across schools is tragic and I hope we can play our part in ensuring that young people have every opportunity to engage with their ideas as artists.”Playbox Theatre anticipate that The Dream Factory will be completed by May 2019 and will remain open throughout the development work.