Old Vic and Stephen Joseph Theatre awarded share of £170k sustainability fund

Beneficiaries are to use the money in various ways to reduce their environmental impact. The Old Vic, for example, is channeling the funds into upgrading its building management system – a step towards its plan to reach net zero by 2050, Theatres Trust says. 

Other theatres are planning to use the money to improve their buildings’ heat retention, switch to air source heat pumps and transition to LED lighting rigs in a bid to save energy. 

Theatres Trust chief executive Joshua McTaggart said his charity was "delighted to be able to support 11 more theatres rise to the challenge of the climate emergency". 

"The successful applications in this round represent the breadth of the theatres our organisation is committed to supporting, from the world-famous Old Vic in London to volunteer-run Criterion Theatre in Coventry," he added. 

Paul Ramsbottom, chief executive of the Wolfson Foundation, which delivers the awards in partnership with Theatres Trust, added: "Environmental and financial sustainability are central considerations for organisations, and the 11 projects funded in this round illustrate how practical improvements can strengthen a theatre’s resilience on both these fronts."