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Upcoming Darlington theatre lands funding for youth support programmes

Darlington’s Theatre Hullabaloo has landed a £140k funding boost this week to fuel new programmes aimed at engaging young audiences and families.

The grant, from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, means the venue will be the only specialist theatre of its type north of London when site opens in December later this year.

The venue itself, which is being built within an Edwardian Fire Station on a site adjacent to the newly named Darlington Hippodrome, will include a 150-seat studio theatre, creative play installation space, café area, workshop/ rehearsal space, dressing rooms, toilets and external play space.

As a national centre of theatre for young audiences and an inspiring place to play and learn, it will present world-class performances for children, house mind-blowing creative play installations, offer a wide range of creative opportunities and classes for families and be a focal point for creative education.

Miranda Thain, Creative Producer at Theatre Hullabaloo, explained the significance of the funding package.

She commented: “This financial support, from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, is so important to the theatre and will enable us to put The Hullabaloo on the map nationally and internationally throughout a mind-blowingly inspiring three-year opening programme of work.

“The funding means that the activity offered at The Hullabaloo in those crucial first years of opening its doors will be of the same quality and ambition as the building itself.

“It will also support a small producing company to transition into a new business model, attract new audiences and move closer to longer term sustainability.”

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