Scotland’s oldest working theatre launches fundraiser to stave off programme cuts

The oldest working theatre in Scotland has launched a fundraising campaign in an effort to avoid cuts to its programme.

The Theatre Royal in Dumfries, which first opened in 1792, needs to raise £30,000 to deliver its plans for this year.

The venue, which is owned and run by The Guild of Players charity, said that grant funding is “increasingly difficult” to secure.

Earlier this year, the charity failed to secure multi-year funding from Creative Scotland, an outcome the theatre’s director Mark Alexander described as “disappointing”.

He added that rising costs for National Insurance, energy bills and materials are also impacting the venue’s operations.

The charity hopes its ‘Keep Theatre Live’ fundraising campaign will raise enough money to ensure all planned performances and workshops can go ahead for the rest of this year.

Alexander said: “We are determined to work through the challenge – as we did during Covid.”