THE Brunton Theatre in Musselburgh, closed for the past six months, has been thrown a £250,000 lifeline from the Scottish Government amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is one of 59 venues across Scotland to share £4.74million from the Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund, distributed by Creative Scotland.

The fund supports immediate and critical financial need in order for venues which programme theatre, dance and music to remain solvent during the coronavirus pandemic and plan for a sustainable return.

The cash aid – welcomed by Musselburgh councillors as vital to the survival of the much-loved venue – is to bridge the financial gap until opening plans and income projections are clearer.

Michael Stitt, chairman of The Brunton Theatre Trust, welcomed the funding announcement, saying: “As a Scottish Arts Charity, 2020 has been an incredibly difficult year for The Brunton.

“The lockdown that was necessary due to Covid-19 has impacted greatly on the operation of The Brunton and its programme, as it has done on venues throughout the country and on those employed within the arts.

“We are extremely grateful to receive support from Creative Scotland’s Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund. This funding is a crucial contribution that will assist The Brunton to remain sustainable through this difficult period and will support the continuation of our programme of arts and entertainment for East Lothian and beyond.

“Careful consideration will be given to the type of programming that will be possible in the coming months with the safety of our audiences and staff at the forefront of our artistic decision making. We thank Creative Scotland for this funding. We also thank all our audiences and the local community for their ongoing patience and support for The Brunton during this challenging time.”

The fund recognises that performing arts venues still await confirmation from the Scottish Government as to when they can re-open. Social distancing requirements will have an impact on capacity and the financial viability of programming.

Iain Munro, CEO, Creative Scotland, said: “Despite the ongoing, detrimental impact that the Covid-19 pandemic is having on Scotland’s performing arts venues, and on culture as a whole, it is positive that we can offer some funding to help venues navigate these extremely challenging times. I’m also encouraged to see that this funding will help venues across many different parts of Scotland where they form such an important part of the cultural life of local communities.”

Jude Henderson, Director of the Federation of Scottish Theatre (FST), said: “We welcome the announcement of these emergency awards to performing arts venues across the country. The funds will help to support the vital work they do in serving communities, providing employment and showcasing Scotland’s world class theatre and dance offer, much of which is created by our members.”

Councillor Stuart Currie said: “This award is a real life line for the Brunton Theatre. I was so pleased to see £250,000 being allocated by the Scottish Government via Creative Scotland. Since lockdown it has, obviously, not been possible for the theatre to have paying customers and clearly the effect on income is massive. This cash will, in my view, allow the Brunton to not only survive but when it is safe to do welcome back customers to this much loved Musseburgh venue.”

Councillor John Williamson commented: “These emergency funds for the Brunton Theatre will be a welcome boost for the theatre to help it survive the COVID crisis. The Brunton Theatre plays a major part in the life of the community here in Musselburgh and beyond. Many will have missed their regular visits to the venue and the funding announced will hopefully help to ensure that the Brunton will still be there in the future when life returns to normal.”

Councillor Katie Mackie said: “I am pleased the Brunton Theatre has received this emergency funding. The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on theatres and sadly they are still not out of the woods. The Brunton Theatre makes an important contribution to the cultural life of Musselburgh and East Lothian and I hope this funding will help ensure its future viability.”

Councillor Andy Forrest added: “I welcome this money and it is a great credit to Lesley Smith and the staff who have all worked to put in an application in these difficult times and ensure The Brunton is fit and ready to go as soon as it is able to happen. The board has worked tirelessly with staff - they are all phenomenal.”

Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North & Musselburgh, commented: “I am delighted to hear that the Brunton Theatre has received funding to ensure it is supported following the pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Brunton is one of our thriving venues in Musselburgh and is at the centre of our community here in East Lothian.

“We all want to see performing arts venues reopen again as soon as it’s safe to do so, but until that’s possible this funding will hand businesses a lifeline and ease some of the financial pressures they face. This has been a tough time for the performing arts and music sectors and we need to do all that we can to ensure that they can open their doors once again.”

Donations of any size are invaluable to enable The Brunton to survive, thrive and continue to bring a programme of arts and entertainment to East Lothian and beyond. They can be made via The Brunton’s website www.thebrunton.co.uk (https://bit.ly/3hgrDkX).