Glasgow Citizens Theatre awarded £4.8 million from lottery fund

GLASGOW’S iconic Citizen’s Theatre has been awarded a grant of £4.8 million from the Heritage Lottery fund.

The money raised will go towards a major project to repair and conserve the Gorbals theatre, often referred to as ‘The Citz’.

The aim of the refurbishment is to update and protect the venue for future generations while still preserving its unique heritage.

The radical reworking will provide new learning spaces, rehearsal rooms and a 152 seat studio theatre.

Speaking to the Sunday Post, stage actress and Taggart star Blythe Duff said the renovation was much-needed:

She said: “Backstage is really grim. Sometimes the lights go out when it rains.

“You can hear pigeons and seagulls on the roof, it’s like an aluminium shed!”

Blythe is supporting the ‘We Are Citizens’ scheme, alongside Elaine C Smith, David Hayman, Sanjeev Kohli and many others leading figures in the Scottish arts.

Blythe Duff backs campaign to renovate iconic Citizen’s Theatre in Glasgow

Judith Kilvington, Executive Director of the Citizens Theatre, said The Citz team are ‘delighted’ to be receiving the award.

She said: “We’re delighted that we’ve received this significant support thanks to National Lottery players.

“This critical funding will allow us not only to preserve our Victorian theatre but also to tell stories which help to uncover and communicate the physical, architectural, social and cultural heritage of the Citizens Theatre to many future generations of theatre goers, participants, and visitors.

“With our increased heritage engagement plans, we will be able to attract new audiences and participants to the theatre for the first time and encourage a deeper level of engagement amongst our existing audiences by offering a variety of ways to explore the Citizens Theatre’s rich and multi-faceted heritage.

“Our redevelopment project is at the heart of the regeneration of the Gorbals and Laurieston and will create a vital cultural landmark and community hub for all the people who use the building.”

Lucy Casot, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said the outlook looks bright for the theatre.

She said: “Thanks to players of the National Lottery, the Citizens Theatre will undergo a transformation which shines a light on its incredible Victorian heritage while providing the modern facilities expected today.

“After 139 years of entertaining audiences, her future as one of the country’s outstanding production theatres is rosy.”

In June 2018, Citizens Theatre Company will move out of the Category B listed building for over two years.

Thanks to a partnership with Glasgow Life the Company will continue to produce its work at Tramway and provide its Citizens Learning activities at Scotland Street School Museum.

The Company will move back into its iconic Gorbals home in autumn 2020.

www.citz.co.uk/support/citizens-theatre/theatre-redevelopment