Gatsby Foundation gifts £16m to Cambridge Arts Theatre

The Gatsby Charitable Foundation is gifting £16m to Cambridge Arts Theatre.

The donation, which comes from Lord David and Dame Susie Sainsbury, will enable the theatre to complete the first phase of a major redevelopment project.

The works are set to include the refurbishment of the current 666-seat auditorium, upgraded audience facilities and improved technical services.

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David Sainsbury said he was first alerted to the need for refurbishment during a performance at the theatre by Ian McKellen, who made his acting debut at the venue in 1959.

“The Cambridge Arts Theatre sits at the very heart of Cambridge’s rich cultural heritage, and the careers of many of our finest actors and directors of both stage and screen have started at the Cambridge Arts Theatre,” Sainsbury said. “We are delighted to make the donation.”

The theatre is also launching a fundraising campaign to add a 200-seat studio theatre on the roof of the existing building. It is envisaged the space will allow for a second stream of productions to increase the theatres’ reach.

The plans were first submitted to the local council in November 2022.

Cambridge Arts Theatre’s CEO, Dave Murphy, said the donation from the Gatsby Foundation represents “the dawn of a new era”.

“I am very proud of the part I have played in formulating the plans for the new incarnation of the theatre and helping secure this transformational gift to enable the works to begin,” Murphy added.