Sheffield Theatres Awarded £240,000 As Part of Arts Council's Catalyst Funding Programme
Sheffield Theatres has today announced that it has been awarded £240,000 following an application in January for the Arts Council England’s new strategic fund, Catalyst. Catalyst funding is designed to support arts organisations in developing their fundraising expertise, providing the investment to enable them to explore creative and innovative ways to generate income through fundraising activity.
Sheffield Theatres will be investing its Catalyst funds in a range of activity including: establishing an arts fundraiser trainee scheme which will provide support for the Sheffield Theatres’ fundraising team as well as investment in the wider arts sector by developing two fundraising professionals; projects which take the Theatres’ work to areas and people with low levels of cultural engagement; an individual giving campaign; a range of artistic work of national and international significance and the development of an ambassador scheme for previous cast and creative professionals. Catalyst funds will be released over the course of the next three years with specific match-funding targets in place each year. Sheffield Theatres has committed to generate over £200,000 from private giving investment as part of its fundraising plan.
Dan Bates, Chief Executive commented: ‘It is fantastic that the Arts Council has recognised our ambitions for Sheffield Theatres’ fundraising activity. The vision we have expressed in our application reflects our passion for producing bold and exciting work in the region that’s of national and international significance and our commitment to securing a sustainable future for Sheffield Theatres and a lasting legacy for the arts sector. I am looking forward to leading the organisation over the next three years as we embark on this exciting new chapter in our history.’
Catalyst is the new £100 million culture sector-wide private giving investment programme aimed at helping cultural organisations diversify their income streams and access more funding from private sources. The new programme is made up of investment from Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
ENDS