West Cumbria’s Kirkgate Arts has been given a £220,000 boost by Arts Council England.
The cash has come from the Government-funded Capital Investment Programme and will help the Kirkgate Centre in Cockermouth reduce its electricity consumption.
It will replace the stage’s halogen lamps with energy efficient lighting and improvements to the air circulation in the auditorium will also make the space more comfortable for performers and audiences alike.
Accessibility is a battle in an old Victorian building and the lift is an essential for customers with mobility issues, as well as for moving equipment up into the auditorium.
A number of improvements have been made to the centre in recent years, all on a very tight budget, it said. A spokesman added: “This injection of funding will enable Kirkgate Arts to make some big changes that would otherwise be out of reach financially.
“This funding will enable us to continue providing high quality creative and cultural experiences for people in Cockermouth.”
Operations manager Katie Gentry said: “We are over the moon to be receiving this significant financial support from the Capital Investment Programme.
“There is now a lot of work to do on getting the ball rolling with the numerous aspects of the improvements, but we are confident we can do most of the work with minimal disruption to our usual programme of events.”
