Theatre is an adventure in empathy. An experience which requires us to dare.
It has the power to heal and invigorate. To break down barriers and bring us together. To comfort and soothe – and solace and moments of escape to anyone who needs it.
The Public Fund was formed in 2017 by a consortium of visionary philanthropists to support The Old Vic’s wide-ranging and adventurous artistic programming in its 200th year and beyond, recognising Artistic Director Matthew Warchus’ desire to programme works that resonate with 21st-century audiences as a non-commercial theatre with no regular public subsidy.
Our ambition is to raise £300,000 into The Public Fund each year as a central part of The Old Vic’s artistic and social mission to ensure that we can continue to programme a series of socially relevant performances with diverse creative teams, tackling some of the most important societal issues of our time.
What the funding will achieve:
Provide a platform for adventurous work, diverse work, and work of scale, which might otherwise be compromised by our need to produce more tested work.
Stage an adventurous, socially relevant programme which will attract a broader demographic with whom to share the democratising power of theatre.
Utilise the Fund to equip The Old Vic with further financial stability to programme exciting creative seasons.