We need your help to secure the future of Gosforth Civic Theatre. A truly inclusive place at the heart of the community where everyone can belong and take part in the arts.


For one week, starting on #GivingTuesday 1st December 2020, your donation will count double when you donate through The Big Give.

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“All venues at the minute are facing real challenges, each having to make impossible decisions often based on survival more than anything else, we have tried to find a balance between being there for our audience and local artists and also ensuring we are able to survive the pandemic, it is a difficult path to tread.”

Rob Huggins, CEO of Liberdade and Gosforth Civic Theatre.

Whether you give directly or run an event to help fundraise, you really can make a difference.

All donations must be made online between 1st and 8th December to qualify for the matched funding. Any funds raised before or during this week that are giving in cash must be deposited and then paid online through The Big Give.

thebiggive.org.uk | #ChristmasChallenge20

THE SITUATION

Historically society has created places for people with learning disabilities to go, this has meant that this group of people are often segregated with few opportunities to demonstrate their social worth. This segregation has also meant members of the public have often had few or no opportunities to get to know people with learning disabilities, therefore fear of, and misconceptions about people with learning disabilities have developed.

THE SOLUTION

We have always aimed to raise the publics expectations of what people with learning disabilities can achieve. We do this by creating high quality performance and film work for a public audience. Now we also have our own 200 seat theatre that provides a relaxed opportunity to bring people with learning disabilities and members of the public together on a daily basis. We programme high quality theatre, dance, cinema and music and sell great coffee for everyone, in return we get social change.

THE AIMS

1 To bring more local people and people with learning disabilities together in a building that provides great art for everyone.

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2 To provide a model that shows how other organisation can use an entrepreneurial approach to solve social problems.

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3 To provide free cultural and community activities for everyone to enjoy, including; free play sessions, after school film club and gaming social.

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4 To improve the building and upgrade much needed equipment.

THE IMPACT

The impact of our work will be two fold:

1 People with learning disabilities will have the opportunity to proactively and positively shape how the general public view them. This is a clear societal benefit and a model that can be replicated by other organisations. This also has personal impact by building on self esteem and promotes health and wellbeing.

2 Local people of all backgrounds will have a theatre where they can enjoy performance, film, and music.