Today Arts Council England announced an award of £75,000 over 3 years to the Orange Tree Theatre as part of the Catalyst: Evolve fund. This investment will enable the OT to revolutionise its fundraising with the aim to increase its fundraised income by 159% by the end of June 2019.
Artistic Director Paul Miller said of the news:
"I am thrilled on behalf of the Orange Tree team that we have been rewarded for all our efforts and achievements over the last two years with this successful application to be part of ACE's Catalyst: Evolve programme. It’s going to make an enormous difference to our ability to raise crucial funding over the coming few years. All of our brilliant individual supporters, our invaluable partners at LBRuT, as well as our many other friends and colleagues will, I know, take heart from this welcome vote of confidence from Arts Council England in the work we are trying to do at the Orange Tree.”
Chair of the OT’s Board of Trustees, Richard Humphreys, added: “The Orange Tree Theatre is a real gem bringing work that would grace any stage in the world to the heart of Richmond. We have a stellar team and a great organisation but like so many others in the arts world we are facing the challenge of building a secure and sustainable financial future. That’s why we are so excited and grateful to have been selected by ACE for their farsighted Catalyst: Evolve programme. Match funding together with Gift Aid will now more than double the value of donations we receive to a new fund, launching in the autumn. Congratulations to Paul and the team and thanks to all our members and partners whose continued support makes possible the wide ranging and valuable contribution that the Orange Tree makes to our community.”
For more information about the Catalyst: Evolve programme, click here to visit the Arts Council England website.
Since 2014, under new Artistic Director Paul Miller and Executive Director Sarah Nicholson, the OT has won 5 Off West Awards (Offies), including for Best Artistic Director, Best Production and Best New Play, been awarded two UK Theatre Awards – for Best Director and Best Performance in a Play – and the inaugural Alfred Fagon Audience Award. In 2015 the Orange Tree won the Peter Brook Empty Space Award.
