The Oglesby Charitable Trust has announced a grant of £50,000 a year over the next three years to go towards supporting the cost of a Community Producer and the funding of our Inspire Scheme, which will form part of our ambitious engagement and creative learning programme when our new building opens next Spring.
The Oglesby Inspire Scheme will enable us to provide very low cost tickets to specific community groups and those who might not normally have the opportunity to visit the theatre or take part in cultural events.
A proportion of tickets for all our theatre productions and selected film screenings will be allocated to participants and the Community Producer will be responsible for administering the scheme and building relationships with community groups. Further details of the scheme will be announced in January 2015.
Our engagement programme will operate from HOME itself and across Greater Manchester. We will provide unique education and talent development activities for all generations, with a particular commitment to young people aged 15-25 and communities local to our building.
The Oglesby Charitable Trust was established in 1992 by the Oglesby family, with funding coming from annual contributions from Bruntwood Limited, part of a group of North West based property investment companies owned by the founding Trustees. The Trust was set up to support activities in the North West of England to further the well-being of the region and its people through a wide range of activities which include the Arts, Education, Environment, Medical Research and the improvement of the lives of people who have been marginalised in society.
“For far too many of the people who live in Manchester,” Michael Oglesby, founder of The Oglesby Charitable Trust said, “particularly those in the less well-off areas, theatres are seen as buildings not for them and the very idea of even entering them would not cross their minds.
“The thinking behind this scheme is to bring this group into the theatre and to give them an experience, at minimal cost, which will encourage their participation and show that, in fact, the theatre is an experience to be enjoyed by everyone and to create their long-term engagement.”
Dave Moutrey, our Director and Chief Executive, says: “The work that this generous grant from The Oglesby Charitable Trust is essential to achieving the vision for the organisation, which will be about more than just producing ambitious and questioning art across theatre, visual and film – we will ensure that a diverse range of people don’t just experience but also inform our programme. The Oglesby Inspire Scheme and the work of our Community Producer are a vital part of this.”
