Theatre Development Trust

Theatre Development Trust, the charitable arm of the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, advances dramatic and performing arts for public benefit by strengthening UK theatre industry resilience and vibrancy. Rooted in values of inclusivity, equity, public access, and sector longevity, it employs a strategic grantmaking philosophy prioritizing high-impact investments in future-facing initiatives that foster equitable participation, address systemic challenges, and build sustainable capacity. Believing change arises from targeted interventions in audience inclusion, workforce diversity, and accessibility, it partners with aligned charities to drive long-term cultural equity and professional sustainability.

It funds audience development projects encouraging younger audiences and diverse theatre-goers from under-represented ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ communities, and low-income backgrounds through outreach, inclusive programming, and participation initiatives; workforce training and career development for under-represented groups facing barriers including d/Deaf, disabled, neurodivergent individuals, women, and ethnic minorities, via skills training, apprenticeships, mentoring, in-career professional development, and pathways addressing skills shortages; accessibility enhancements creating sustainable models for d/Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent audiences and participants, including sensory-adapted performances, captioning, audio description, relaxed performances, and venue modifications. Supported interventions emphasize diversity training, inclusive recruitment, youth engagement in performing arts, creative arts therapy for emotional wellbeing, peer support networks in theatre professions, and community-led productions amplifying marginalized voices, tackling exclusion, isolation, and under-representation while promoting therapeutic benefits of arts participation, confidence-building, and social cohesion.

Exclusions encompass core costs, unrestricted support, and projects outside core goals of audience development, workforce inclusivity, or accessibility. Distinctive for its sector-wide expertise from theatre leaders, UK remit prioritizing London-rooted but nationwide initiatives, and focus on commercial theatre futures via emerging producers and educational schemes, it favors charities demonstrating measurable outcomes for young people, disabled artists/audiences, neurodivergent participants, and diverse workforce entrants, valuing innovation, evidence-based inclusion, and trauma-informed arts practices over short-term events.