Buxton Opera House in the High Peak has received a grant of £240,960 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen. The award will support the plans for reopening, ensuring the safety of audiences, staff and artists. It will also support their exciting artistic ambitions and future programme.
Buxton Opera House will officially re-open on Thursday 8 July in grand style with the Buxton International Festival and an exciting co-production of Stephen Sondheim’s wickedly entertaining musical comedy, A Little Night Music directed by Chief Executive Paul Kerryson (Thurs 8 July–Sat 24 July)
Paul Kerryson said ‘We are thrilled to receive a grant from the Culture Recovery Fund. It is certainly a vote of confidence in the organisation and an acknowledgement of how much Buxton Opera House means to the High Peak area’.
‘This grant is vital to the recovery of Buxton Opera House. It will support our plans to reopen on 8 July with the Buxton International Festival and a production of Stephen Sondheim’s brilliant ‘A Little Night Music'. It will ensure that we can welcome back staff, audiences, and artists to a safe environment and to an exciting programme of artistic events and extensive Learning and Engagement activities. A thriving Buxton Opera House is vital to our local economy. Thanks to the ongoing support from the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Arts Council England, we can now look forward to reopening the doors to this much-loved theatre.’
The plans for reopening include the Box Office which is now open to the public. Precautions are in place such as social distancing, hand sanitiser stations, and screens at the box office windows. While the foyer will be open, customers are asked only to enter the building if purchasing tickets. Customers are still being encouraged where possible to book online in advance, and to use card transactions as much as possible.
A mini brochure will soon be available for audiences to get a taste of what shows are in store later this year. Further information about reopening and exciting additions to the programme will soon follow, including announcements about this year’s pantomime casting.
To buy tickets contact Buxton Opera House Box Office, Tel: 01298 72190 or visit: www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk
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For more information about events, competition and press tickets, contact Helen Naylor, email: [email protected] or Tel: 01298 72050
Notes to Editors
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Let’s Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. We invest public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision. www.artscouncil.org.uk
Following the Covid-19 crisis, the Arts Council developed a £160 million Emergency Response Package, with nearly 90% coming from the National Lottery, for organisations and individuals needing support. We are also one of the bodies administering the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund. Find out more at www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid19.
At the Budget, the Chancellor announced the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund would be boosted with a further £300 million investment. Details of this third round of funding will be announced soon.