DanceEast has been awarded a significant £270,000 capital grant from a share of £24.2 million through Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme to modernise the lighting, projection, and equipment in its 181-seat theatre at the Jerwood DanceHouse. This represents a significant investment in cultural infrastructure in Ipswich and Suffolk. Through the grant, the DanceHouse will become one of the best equipped dance venues of its size in the country.

Greg Turbyne, Technical Manager at DanceEast, said:

“The Jerwood DanceHouse is recognised as one of the best dance facilities in the UK, and we have recently invested in our digital infrastructure to place our building and organisation at the forefront of dance, digital and technological practice. Modernising our studio lighting, projection, and working light equipment will further cement our position as a beacon of technical excellence, while also significantly reducing our carbon emissions, helping us to operate more efficiently, and improving how we can meet the access needs of our theatre users. We are excited to embark on this project which will ensure our technical relevance for the next decade and beyond, while also enabling us to lead the way as an environmentally engaged dance venue.”

The investment from Arts Council England will enhance the quality of DanceEast’s offer for the creative and cultural practitioners, partners, workforce, volunteers, visitors, and participants using the DanceHouse theatre, through improved lighting options and quicker turnarounds between activities. It will also help DanceEast support artists to experiment with more innovative performance practice, including in the use of projection.  The funding will also enable improved access to lighting technology for wheelchair users and will create a new captioning facility at the DanceHouse.

Critically, this investment will deliver on DanceEast’s commitment to the environment by creating significant energy savings and reducing wastage. DanceEast is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and this funding will help the organisation on its journey towards achieving net zero.

Bryony Hope, Head of Communications and Development at DanceEast says:

“We are already proud of the fantastic quality of the offer at the DanceHouse for people using our theatre. We are excited to further improve our offer, in an environmentally conscious way, to create an even better experience for our theatre users, and to also open up new avenues for collaboration. It is particularly exciting that this is happening in Ipswich and will further contribute to the already rich cultural life of our town.”

Hazel Edwards, South East Area Director at Arts Council England said:

“Through this Capital Investment Programme, we are bolstering cultural investment through communities throughout the East of England / South East. By enhancing the infrastructure of cultural spaces across the region we are expanding access to arts, culture, and creative pursuits. We are also supporting cultural organisations in becoming more inclusive, reducing their carbon footprint, and enhancing their digital capabilities. We are delighted that together, we can nurture a more vibrant and accessible cultural landscape for all.”

Talking about the wider programme, Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England said:

“This infrastructure investment will help a whole range of different cultural organisations across England to flourish, increasing opportunities for people to enjoy creatively excellent cultural events close to where they live. It’s particularly important that we’re making this happen in communities where cultural investment has historically been low.”