Belfast City Council to invest £1.25m in new theatre
Belfast City Council tonight agreed to invest £1.25m in the Lyric Theatre to help ensure its future.
Politicians will provide the funding from their Cultural Legacy Fund which was established in November.
Councillor Diane Dodds, who is Chair of Belfast City Council’s Policy and Resources Committee, hailed tonight’s decision as another example of Council working in partnership with central government and the private sector to enhance the cultural and social life of the city.
“This is an example of the Council taking action today which will become tomorrow’s legacy,” she said.
“Through this decision we are helping Belfast on its way to becoming a truly cosmopolitan, European and international city. This funding underlines the Council’s commitment to supporting and regenerating the city’s cultural offering.
“This will make a major contribution to Belfast’s cultural life, and the provision of the planned new iconic building should significantly enhance our tourism product.
“It is fitting that we can make such a positive impact on a project that is destined to provide a lasting legacy for our city,” Councillor Dodds added.
As well as the provision of a new showcase building, benefits will include an expansion of the theatre’s outreach programme into the wider Belfast community.
And supporters of the Stranmillis venue, which is due to close for redevelopment this weekend, moved quickly to thank the local politicians for their support in providing the final push to achieving their fundraising goal.
“We are delighted that Belfast City Council will be a major founding partner in the redevelopment of one of Belfast’s leading cultural institutions” said Lyric Chairman Mark Carruthers.
“The social, cultural and economic benefits from Council’s investment in the new theatre will be enormous. This will be a landmark building and a source of great civic pride to the people of Belfast.
“It’s wonderful that the councillors share our vision for what will be a lasting legacy for current and future generations of young people from throughout the city. This support could not have come at a more critical time for us as we bid a fond farewell to the existing Lyric on 13th January.”
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