Creative Scotland has announced that 17 projects, five of of them theatre-based, are to share nearly £15 million of capital grants this year.

Perth Theatre and, as previously announced, Glasgow’s Theatre Royal, will both receive the maximum £2 million available. Ayr Gaiety and Dundee Rep will both receive development grants which could lead to further major capital awards. The Glasgow Arches is to receive £199,500 of direct Government funds.

Jacqueline McKay, chief executive designate of Horsecross Arts which runs Perth Theatre, said: “The award confirms Creative Scotland as a significant partner in the project and is a huge vote of confidence in our plans. £9 million has now been raised, our £13 million target is firmly in sight and we are poised to roll out the next stage in our fund-raising campaign.”

Plans for the 113 year old theatre include restoring the period features of the B-listed Edwardian auditorium, improving access throughout and enhancing audience comfort. Additional creative learning and youth spaces are planned, as well as the creation of a 225 capacity studio theatre.

The Ayr Gaiety, which went dark in 2009 and was officially handed over by owners South Ayrshire Council to the Ayr Gaiety Partnership on September 14, will receive a development award of £52,298. AGP will use this to progress plans for the theatre, which include a studio, education space, digital screen facilities and further flexible spaces. A provisional award of £1,176,277 is dependent on the success of the development project.

Welcoming the development funding, AGP chairman Ian Welsh said: “We hope to secure the full award in due course and augment this with other sources of funding. This will then form the basis of phase four of the Gaiety capital programme. Meanwhile we look forward to the reopening of the theatre in December with our inaugural pantomime Cinderella”

Dundee Rep Theatre is to get a development award of £35,925 towards plans for the refurbishment of the Bonar Hall which is owned by Dundee University. It will be used as an additional learning and performance space for the Rep, as part of its ongoing cooperation with the university. There is a provisional award of a further £466,000 for the plan.

The fund will provide half the £399,000 needed by the Arches in Glasgow to renovate its Studio Theatre and a basement rehearsal room, as well as install improved lighting and technical facilities in the foyer and Arch 3. The award also includes money to invest in acoustic separation and energy management initiatives for the building.

The 17 successful projects were chosen from 38 applications seeking total investment of more than £34 million.