Edinburgh's King's Theatre secures £6.5m grant for revamp
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The King's Theatre redevelopment project is set to cost £25m, with £22m of the funding now in place
The King's Theatre in Edinburgh has secured a £6.5m grant from the Scottish government to help towards its redevelopment.
The project is set to cost £25m, with more than £22m of funding now in place.
The theatre will close for two years with the work due to start in September 2022, reopening in mid-2024.
Charity Capital Theatres, which runs the King's, said it was "overjoyed" and hoped to raise the remaining money by a public fundraiser.
Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: "The King's Theatre has been a jewel in Edinburgh's cultural crown for more than a 100 years, with generations of audiences enjoying a rich diversity of shows from its annual pantomimes to world premieres at the Edinburgh International Festival.
"The Scottish government is pleased to support the redevelopment of the grade A-listed theatre and enable the King's Theatre to reach out to a wider range of audience and increase its community engagement."
The grant builds upon £4m already secured from the City of Edinburgh Council along with additional loan funding.
The rest of the budget is made-up of donations from individuals, grants from trusts and foundations, support from companies and Capital Theatres' own contribution from ticket income.
Capital Theatres, the charity that operates the Festival Theatre and The Studio as well as the King's, has also applied to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the application is currently moving into its second stage.
Backstage, hospitality and studios will be upgraded as part of the refurbishment
Chief executive Fiona Gibson said she was "overjoyed with this show of support and confidence".
She added: "As Covid-19 hit in March 2020, Capital Theatres announced that the redevelopment of the King's would be paused for a year whilst we dealt with the impact of the pandemic.
"Far from lose momentum on the project, 15 months of closure has made us all the more determined to ensure the King's Theatre can honour its illustrious past with a thriving future at the heart of Edinburgh and Scotland's cultural life.
"Not only a wonderful venue for joy and inspiration, the King's will also offer a thriving hub by day for the many communities situated in and around Tollcross."
City of Edinburgh Council culture and communities convener Donald Wilson said The King's had been "a beloved Edinburgh theatre for over a century".
"The 'Grand Old Lady of Leven Street' has always been Edinburgh's theatre for everyone," he added.
In a normal year Capital Theatres stage over 700 performances across the King's Theatre, the Festival Theatre and The Studio featuring drama, dance, musical theatre, live music, comedy and pantomime.