Hull theatre company Middle Child will create a new cultural, community and commercial hub thanks to support from Hull City Council’s government-backed City Centre Grant scheme.
Middle Child will refurbish and enhance its Humber Street premises with a new customised and permanent seating bank, green room facilities and a heating and air conditioning system.
There will also be upgrades to electrical infrastructure and lighting and power systems to ensure the venue is more welcoming and accessible.
Middle Child will be match-funding the City Centre Grant scheme’s award of £35,332.49.
The grant is part of the £1.5m awarded to the council through the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Pride in Place Impact Funding.
The funding’s three main objectives are to create, improve or refurbish community spaces; enhance public space such as green spaces and sports and leisure amenities; and making high streets and town centres more attractive and welcoming place to encourage economic activity.
The council is using £750,000 of this to continue its highly successful city centre regeneration investment programme, with the other half being added to the Community Highstreets programme to expand its activity.
Almost 100sqm of unused floor space will be brought back into use through the project, with two new jobs also expected to be created.
Kath Wynne-Hague, culture, place and city centre at the council, said: “The council’s grant scheme has been key to regenerating our city centre and revitalising our high streets in recent years.
“Culture and theatre plays a huge part in Hull’s social offering, and in delivery of the Culture & Heritage Strategy we are proud the council can continue to support organisations such as Middle Child to further enhance this.”
Middle Child artistic director, Paul Smith, added: “Middle Child are absolutely delighted to receive additional support from Hull City Council towards the ongoing development of our new theatre on Humber Street.
“This investment is further proof that our council truly value the impact of culture on local people, and we are excited at what this will mean for the city’s artists, audiences and visitors.
“Our ambition is for 69 Humber Street to become the most influential new writing theatre outside of London and this money will be spent wisely on long-lasting infrastructure that will make our space a great place to visit, building on Hull’s growing reputation as one of the UK’s most cultural cities.”