Struggling Derby arts venue seeks further funds

Venue bosses said Quad was showing signs of wear and tear

An arts venue that was granted a £150,000 emergency loan says it needs further funds for urgent repairs.

Quad, a cinema and exhibition space at Derby's Market Place, said it needed to update equipment and make crucial refurbishments to the building.

Venue bosses said Derby City Council's loan, approved in July, was "really helpful", but the site was "suffering from wear and tear".

The non-for-profit organisation is trying to raise £30,000 for repairs.

Currently the online campaign, which was launched in July, has only hit about £2,000 of its target, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Issuing the loan in the same month, the council's cabinet said the funding would help secure a "key cornerstone of the cultural city".

Quad opened in 2008 but has struggled since Covid and has also been hit by the loss of neighbouring attractions such as the Market Hall, Assembly Rooms and Guildhall.

While Quad bosses said the venue had just experienced its "busiest cinema month since pre-pandemic" with more than 8,000 attendances for latest blockbuster movies Barbie and Oppenheimer, it has been impacted by rising energy costs.

Quad's management team said: "We really need to update specific equipment to improve accessibility for all our customers and also to remain as environmentally sustainable and efficient as possible.

"This fundraising is critical for us to raise money to replace equipment in Quad which is outdated or nearing replacement, in order to keep our facilities up to standard."