WATCH: Wolverhampton Central Youth Theatre on a role as it launches crowd-funding drive to secure future
A crowd-funding campaign packed with unique rewards - such as personalised performances and one-of-a-kind scripts - has been launched to help save Wolverhampton's Central Youth Theatre.
Following the success of the Hilarity Charity Gala at the Grand Theatre earlier this week featuring TV comedians Russell Howard and Greg Davies, the group has launched the first crowd-funding campaign of its 30-year history.
The company hopes to raise £20,000 over the next six weeks to secure a permanent home in light of council funding cuts. Through the fundraising drive, called CYT Heart Campaign, the group is aiming to take up new premises in the former Co-operative store building on Lichfield Street in the city centre. The building is owned by a private developer and hasn't been occupied for more than 40 years.
The crowd-funding scheme has been organised via indiegogo.com and features a range of exciting gifts people will receive in exchange for pledging cash towards the £20,000 target.
Youth theatre founder Jane Ward MBE said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for us to secure our future.
"We sincerely hope people will rally round and help us ensure generations of young people from Wolverhampton have the chance to take part in Central Youth Theatre.
"Since the withdrawal of our council grant last May, we continue to be faced with numerous survival challenges, not least because the group is losing its costume and set construction base in a former antiques market building and the potential loss of our rehearsal and office space at the Newhampton Arts Centre.
"So now we are almost back to where we began, with no home and no funding."
For people or organisations who make a major contribution to help secure the group's future, once-in-a-llifetime rewards will be offered.
For £5,000 the company will create an original piece of theatre based around a person of the person's choice.
The group will develop a script over a 12-month period before performing the show live at the Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton. When the show is done, whoever makes the donation will be given their own, professionally filmed copy to keep.
The CYT Heart Campaign co-ordinator Ed O' Driscoll said: "We are very excited by this reward and hope it will inspire people to come up with some wonderful ideas"
For more information on the campaign visit http://igg.me/at/cytheart or search the hash tag #CYTHeart on Twitter,
