Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre, the Bush Theatre and the Donmar Warehouse benefit from Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation

Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre, the Bush Theatre and the Donmar Warehouse have received a share of £630,000 from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation.

The foundation has awarded grants to 21 arts organisations to fund youth and new talent programmes. Other venues given money include the Tricycle Theatre and the Hackney Empire.

The Royal Exchange Theatre will receive £45,000 over three years to fund its young company, while the Bush Theatre has been granted £60,000 over three years to develop a mentoring programme for emerging playwrights, who will be involved the theatre’s planning, producing and leadership.

The foundation also presented the Donmar Warehouse with a £12,960 grant to develop workshops for schools, while the Tricycle Theatre will receive £45,000 over three years to fund its Takeover programme for young people who want to work in theatre.

Andrew Lloyd Webber said: “The creative industry in the UK is thriving, but to retain this vibrancy we need to support the talented young people of all backgrounds who are looking to take their first steps towards a career in the arts. I have been lucky enough to enjoy a successful career doing something that I love and am delighted that my foundation can support young creatives of the future.”

Other funded companies include Chickenshed, which will receive £45,000 over three years to fund its Young Creators programme, and the RADA Youth Company, which has been granted £24,300.

Hackney Empire received a £16,485 grant to fund its Artists Development Graduate Programme, which teaches young people the skills needed to produce their own musical theatre.

Grants were also given to the JMK Trust, Theatre Royal Wakefield, Aylesbury Vale Youth Theatre and Winchester’s Blue Apple Theatre.

A number of music and dance companies were also funded, including the Young Composer’s Academy at St George’s Bristol and Northern Ballet’s Start project.

This article was first published in The Stage. click here to view to the original article