Rotherham to receive funding to improve youth opportunities in the community
The funding will help to address the imbalance in access to youth services.
Rotherham is one of 60 local authorities that will get funding from the Youth Matters Fund to help with opportunities for young people in the community.
It will also be a part of a £15m project with the National Theatre to give over 100,000 children the chance to experience live theatre.
Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said: “I am tired of being told that not everybody can or should have access to the best of what this country has to offer.”
“A young person’s chance to experience the transformative benefits of theatre should not depend on their postcode or what their family can afford,” added Kate Varah, Executive Director and Co-Chief Executive of the National Theatre.
The funding will help to address the imbalance in access to youth services.
The first phase of the funding includes an initial £20.7m to be distributed between the 60 chosen local authorities, it is not yet clear how this will be divided.
Tom Bird, Chief Executive of Sheffield Theatres said that he hopes the funding will help young people across the city and the wider region.
There hasn’t yet been a statement from the Rotherham theatre or organisations involved.
Up to £15 million from the Every Child Can programme will support the National Theatre to work with The National Lottery Community Fund and regional theatres across England.
Every Child Can will launch in 2027, supporting children in cultures and the arts.
This isn’t the first instance where Rotherham has been recognised nationally as a target for investment into young people and culture.
Rotherham has made the final 15 shortlist out of nearly 400 applications selected by the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport to be the UK Town of Culture in 2028.
It has received £60,000 to develop the full bid, showing the different ways the region is currently being supported to grow.
Rotherham also won the Children’s Capital of Culture award last year for putting young people at the heart of culture and creativity.