The curtain is rising on a brighter, greener future for the Terry O’Toole Theatre in North Hykeham after securing £107,777 from Arts Council England’s Creative Foundation Fund. The funding follows a successful bid by North Kesteven District Council.
The funding will enable the Moor Lane venue, opened in 2002 and operated by GLL, to upgrade to energy-efficient LED lighting. The improvement will significantly reduce energy use while giving productions greater creative flexibility.
North Kesteven District Council and GLL have jointly committed £11,976 as a 10% match contribution (5% each). Work is scheduled to take place in August 2026, with completion expected the following month.
The project will replace the theatre’s outdated lighting system with modern LED lanterns, addressing urgent retrofit needs linked to energy inefficiency and to safeguard users.
The project will also increase the economic sustainability of the theatre. The investment will reduce the theatre’s annual energy cost from 10,700kWh to 1,200kWh, lowering its carbon emissions and significantly reducing environmental impacts.
Last week the Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced that 130 cultural venues, museums and libraries will receive a funding boost to improve access to arts and culture across the country. They are set to receive a share of almost £130 million to protect them for present and future generations.
Councillor Wright, Leader of North Kesteven District Council, said: “Both the Council and the Theatre value the creative potential in our District and strive to provide our communities with more opportunities to enjoy and celebrate culture of every kind.
“It is brilliant that the theatre will benefit from this funding which will help reduce energy consumption and allow their productions to be more creative in their lighting design.
“This project also demonstrates the Council’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions as outlined in our Climate Response Strategy.”
Al Duncombe, Theatre Officer/Programmer at Terry O’Toole Theatre, said: “As a small venue at the heart of our community, this is fantastic news for the Terry O’Toole Theatre!
“The award of £107,777.00 from the Creative Foundation Fund, Arts Council England, which is supported with 5% match funding from both North Kesteven District Council and Greenwich Leisure Ltd, will enable us to replace outdated theatre lighting, increase energy efficiency and enhance our creative offer to the many local and regional performers who visit us.”
The 130 organisations receiving funding on Tuesday, April 14, mark the first projects receiving cash from the government’s Arts Everywhere Fund. The £127.8 million which is administered and delivered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is made up of three funds.
· The Creative Foundations Fund (CFF) has allocated £96 million to 74 arts and cultural venues to help theatres, performing arts venues, galleries and grassroots music venues address urgent infrastructure needs.
· The Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND) has allocated a share of £25.5 million to support 28 museums to undertake vital infrastructure works and improve the visitor experience.
· The Libraries Improvement Fund (LIF) has allocated a share of £6.3 million to 28 library services to help upgrade buildings and technology to better meet the needs of the community.
Liz Johnson, Midlands Area Director at Arts Council England, said: “Our Creative Foundations Fund invests in buildings and equipment to help keep venues across the country up and running, for everyone to enjoy. It improves sustainability and revitalises cultural assets, so organisations can provide a bolder and bigger programme of activity for their communities. “We’re pleased to award £107,777 to the Terry O’Toole Theatre so that they can introduce energy-efficient lighting. As well as reducing energy usage and maintenance costs, the upgrades will mean they can continue to deliver high-quality creative work, enhance technical capacity, support inclusive programming, and ensure the theatre remains a vibrant, sustainable cultural hub for the rural communities of North Kesteven and beyond.”
