Stockport Garrick Theatre is part of a national initiative launched by Theatres Trust to prevent the permanent closure of hundreds of UK theatres.
Why are we crowdfunding
100 years to the day that we purchased our premises we started to convert the disused basement area. Our members have already done much of the preliminary hard labour and the shell is almost complete but to use it we need more funding. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic we had to cancel plays and close the Theatre from April onwards so we need to find the funds to do this vital work.
Your kind donations will be used towards completion of the Ventilation and Air Conditioning necessary to make the area fit for use.
About Stockport Garrick Theatre
The Society purchased its current building, an old mill occupied by an assortment of small businesses, on 1st June 1920. Since then, the building’s labyrinthine interior has undergone various refurbishments to enhance the Society’s ability to produce theatre to the highest standards possible. We are able to put on shows of high quality because of the wide array of talents, skills and interests possessed by our loyal membership. Our aim is to provide opportunities for people of all ages to apply existing skills, interest and talents and to develop new ones. We also put on social events, play readings, trips, visits and parties. We offer world-class theatre training for 7-18 year olds, weekly workshops facilitated by a professional tutor.
Joining the Garrick is a great way to meet new people and get creative! Whatever your age it is a place to feel welcomed, safe and valued.
Needing more and better facilities the membership decided to raise funds and seek grants so that the project could commence. We received a generous donation from a member to start us off.
Aims and Objectives
The main aim is to bring a currently unused basement area into use as a flexible performance space for our youth group, members and outside users.
It is envisaged that the new basement space might accommodate the following:
- Youth group productions and rehearsal space
- Garrick performance rehearsal space
- Musical performance - jazz, folk, pop etc
- Spoken word - comedy club, readings etc
- Examination room - classical music
- Meeting room - Community, local clubs and businesses
- Exhibitions - venue for artists. (Suggestion made by Stockport MBC)
Currently the Theatre is receiving several requests a month for hire, these include drama groups. schools, tribute bands and dance schools. We are having to turn the majority of these down due to the auditorium not being available. Hopefully this new area would be suitable for many of these people and Community Groups.
About Save Our Theatres
In villages, towns and cities across the country, theatres are at the heart of their community. Places to come together, to be inspired and be entertained. Theatres are where our best-loved actors learn their craft and thousands of others learn valuable skills.
But we risk losing this forever.
Theatres saw their main source of income disappear in an instant when they closed in March in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Six months later, we still don’t know when they will be able to reopen fully. A decision won’t be made until November at the earliest – too late for most to put on their annual pantomime, which often provides the income to support the theatre for the rest of the year.
This ongoing uncertainty puts theatres in a perilous situation. The government’s bailout is spread across all cultural organisations and certainly won’t be enough to save all of the UK’s theatres.
Every day theatres are facing the tough decision to make staff redundant and to close their doors until next year. And there is a real risk that those closures could be permanent.
Without urgent support, we could lose our nation’s amazing theatres. Please help us to make sure our theatres survive this crisis and will be there to be enjoyed by future generations.
#SaveOurTheatres