Theatres Trust’s Small Grants Programme, supported by The Linbury Trust, funds small projects which make a big impact to a theatre’s resilience, sustainability, accessibility, or improving the diversity of audiences.

This scheme provides grants of up to £7,500 for essential works to enable not for profit theatres across the UK to be viable and thrive in the future.

In particular, the programme prioritises improvements to theatre buildings to protect theatre use, and remove barriers to participation and attendance. Priority will also be given to projects where the total project costs are less than £250,000, or where the grant is the sole external funder and/or achievable within the total fund awarded.

The fund is intended to support:

improvements and repairs to building fabric
purchase of key plant and machinery
purchase of capital items which improve physical access and the audience/participant experience
purchase of equipment to improve digital access

To be eligible to apply to the scheme, applicants must demonstrate that they:

own or manage theatres with titles or signed leases of more than five years on buildings in Scotland, England, Wales, and/or Northern Ireland
run a year-round programme of live performance, of no less than 30 performances a year
have a bona fide UK charitable or not for profit legal structure and be able to provide certified or audited accounts for at least two years

Previous awards have been issued to venues to improve access and mobility, and building energy efficiency.

The application deadline is 12pm on Friday 26 June 2026.

For further information, including how to apply, please visit the Theatres Trust website.