Funding secured for expansion of the Wolverhampton Grand
It's part of a fund from the West Midlands Combined Authority - to help boost the region's culture and heritage and promote the arts.
Last updated 15th Apr 2024
Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre's getting a slice of 20 million pounds - to help its growth for the future.
It's part of a fund from the West Midlands Combined Authority - to help boost the region's culture and heritage and promote the arts.
The money will be used to create new theatre spaces and rehearsal rooms along with exhibition facilities too
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA chair, said: “Cultural institutions, such as Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre, are an anchor in attracting visitors from far and wide. That’s why the expansion plans are great news for the city, the Black Country and the whole region.
“Adrian and his team have done a brilliant job in securing a huge amount of government money to deliver their plans. Combined with the funding from the WMCA they will be able to turn their vision into reality for the benefit of people in Wolverhampton and beyond.”
Adrian Jackson, CEO and artistic director at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, said: “The development proposals outlined by the Grand Theatre, which are supported by grant funding from both the Community Ownership Fund and WMCA, will enhance Wolverhampton’s cultural offering to provide further exciting opportunities for community enrichment and drive the visitor economy forward.
“This important visionary expansion will also preserve a historic community asset within the city centre, which has previously served the community in a variety of forms since the turn of the century.”
Arts, culture and heritage directly supports more than 24,000 jobs in the West Midlands and has an economic footprint of £1.1 billion.
They also deliver a number of other benefits linked to health and wellbeing, skills development, volunteering, pride of place, attractiveness of place for inward investment, and community cohesion.
Cllr Patrick Harley, WMCA portfolio lead for culture and leader of Dudley Council, said: “The unprecedented amount money the combined authority is putting into arts, culture and heritage across the region is an acknowledgement of the important economic and social contribution of organisations, such as the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.
“We’re investing in jobs, skills, activities, buildings and live events with much more to come for many more employers, community groups and charities in this sector.”