Grants totalling more than £100,000 have been handed out by Blackpool Council to support community programmes at the town’s Grand Theatre.
Newly published figures show the council gave the theatre £60,000 for the financial year 2023/24 and £56,000 for the current financial year.
The funding has helped pay for a programme of community events including a story telling festival and dance workshops. as well as funding specialists in creative education.
The grants were also part of match funding by the council to go alongside funding from Arts Council England.
A council report says: “The Grand Theatre is one of only three Arts Council National Portfolio Organisations in Blackpool and is the only one specialising in and recognised nationally for its community engagement and participatory activities for local children, young people and families, focusing on high quality theatre and performance.”
Other initiatives include the Grand Young Company and the Grand Young Technicians Programme while the work is also seen to contribute to the Blackpool Cultural Strategy.