Fundraising

The Mayor of London and the City of London have committed an additional £25m each toward the renovation costs of old market buildings in Smithfield, which will house the new London Museum, formerly the Museum of London.

Originally expected to cost around £337m and open in 2026, the project's costs are now forecast to have risen by £100m.

While the newly announced funds will help bridge the funding gap, the museum is looking at "green loan opportunities" to secure a further £20m.

The City of London has contributed £222m to the project in total, while the Mayor of London has awarded £95m. Meanwhile, private donations and sponsorships have generated £45m so far.

Contributions include £10m each from the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths and the Linbury Trust, £5m each from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Garfield Weston Foundation and £1m each from the Schroder Foundation and Family and the Wolfson Foundation.

“Thousands of Londoners are helping to shape this fantastic new museum, which will not only explore our city’s rich history but the people and places that make it such a vibrant place to be," said Director of London Museum, Sharon Ament.

"With the generous support of the GLA and the City of London Corporation, alongside our other funders and supporters, we are steaming ahead to deliver a transformative, world-leading museum that will be worthy of this great global capital.”

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has been gifted £1m from American playwright Ken Ludwig, the largest private donation in the trust’s 177-year history.

The trust has described the donation as “transformative”, adding it will go towards conservation works at Grade-I listed building Hall’s Croft, once home to Shakespeare’s daughter.

An audit of the conservation requirements of the 17th Century property is currently ongoing, with University of Staffordshire archaeologists mapping the building’s exterior to create a 3D model of the building.

“Our conservation work is a central part of our work as a charity and it enables our visitors and audiences to place Shakespeare in time and space as they explore his life story and his work, which continues to speak with profound meaning and relevance today,” said Tim Cooke, CEO of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

“Shakespeare is the great foundation for all of us who work in the theatre, and it's an honour to support the preservation of Shakespeare's legacy in Stratford-upon-Avon,” Ludwig added. “As a playwright, restoring Hall's Croft is a way of giving back for the lifetime of joy and inspiration I've derived from the British theatre.”

An anonymous donor has given an arts charity £10,000 towards a fundraising campaign.

The Hive in Shrewsbury, a creative venue which runs projects across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, needs to raise £50,000 to cover rising costs and energy bills.

The BBC reports that Chief Executive Katie Jennings said funding had dried up, and the charity was seeing increasing demand for its services.

Jennings said the donation was "heartwarming" and had lifted spirits.

Chichester Festival Theatre has received planning permission for a new 120-seat studio theatre.

Called ‘The Nest’, the venue will be the organisation's third and smallest stage and will be focused on providing a space for talent development by supporting artists and technicians at the beginning of their careers, including local writers and performers, as well as offering entertainment for a younger audience and community programmes.

The new building will use an existing temporary structure previously located in London and Edinburgh. The trust hopes to raise at least £1.5m for the project.

Director Sam Mendes began his career at Chichester and is a Patron of the Appeal.

"Nurturing the next generation of artists is vital to ensure that theatre in the UK maintains its international reputation for excellence," said Mendes. "I am delighted to support Chichester Festival Theatre – a place dear to my heart – as they embark on creating this exciting new space. I cannot wait to see the work that is incubated in The Nest."

A group trying to buy a run-down theatre from a local authority is nearing its fundraising target.

The BBC reports the Save Novello Picture House campaign has raised £250,000 so far, including a £100,000 anonymous donation. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) gave the group until the end of October to raise £300,000 to buy the venue in the village of Sunninghill.

A  spokesperson for Save Novello Picture House said it is also in talks with actor Sir Kenneth Branagh, who is from nearby Reading, about the campaign and its future plans for the theatre.

Campaign Co-ordinator Alan Everett said local donors had provided vital support."It is thanks to this solid foundation that we are confident we will meet RBWM’s asking price of £300,000," he said.

"We also spent a productive hour on the phone with the ever-helpful Sir Kenneth Branagh who offered guidance that accelerated the next steps of our campaign and will further hone down the future vision and offering of the Novello."