Before you apply, discover if your school, theatre or touring company is eligible for theatre works! funding and understand our application process.
When to apply
We have three application windows every year.
Window 1
Applications open on Monday 12 January.
Applications close Friday 27 February.
This applies to performances requested for up 12 months ahead from 1 April 2026 onwards.
Window 2
Applications open on Monday 11 May.
Applications close Friday 26 June.
This applies to performances for up 12 months ahead from 1 August 2026 onwards.
Window 3
Applications open on Monday 14 September.
Applications close Friday 23 October.
This applies to performances for up 12 months ahead from 1 January 2027 onwards.
UK Eligibility Criteria
Schools must not have received a grant from theatre works! in the previous calendar year and must:
1. 40% + Pupil Premium/Free School Meals
and/or 25% + SEND
We support children and young people aged 7-16. If your school has a minimum of 25% SEND and/or 40% PP/FSM it is eligible to apply for funding. We check applications against the latest available published government figures of PP/FSM and SEND for each school.
2. Be located outside of the M25
We support schools based outside of the M25.
If you are a London-based theatre you can apply for funding, as long as the children you support come from schools outside the M25.
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Use the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) Scores. Schools must be in the Data Zones of the top 40% of deprivation to be included with a score up to 40 on the Scottish School Roll and Locations - data.gov.uk (column V).
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If your school is based in Wales: We are aware the Welsh Government is moving towards universal free school meals. Whilst we will continue to use Pupil Premium eligibility in the meantime, we will also refer to evidence as to whether a school is in a deprived area. The Welsh Government website provides this link - WIMD - Explore.
What productions are you eligible to apply for?
Eligible productions
We support applications for professional productions only. These can be musicals, plays and pantomimes. We do not offer grants towards, dance, choir or opera productions.
If the production is curriculum-related, we will only fund places for the students in receipt of Pupil Premium/Free School Meals.
What our grants support
We pay for theatre tickets, transport, and related educational activities such as post-show Q&A sessions and backstage tours.
We do not expect to pay more than £15 per theatre ticket and request applicants request education rate tickets.
Seeing different types of productions
We like to support projects that reach a large number of children. Touring companies can be an excellent way to expose a larger audience to the theatre especially if they visit schools or regional venues.
We want children and young people to be exposed to a broad spectrum of plays. When you apply for grants over time, we encourage you to look at a range of plays. For example, if you apply for a musical one year, the next time you might apply for a different performance type. Note, we have limited funds for pantomimes.
What to expect from the application process
1. Read the eligibility criteria
Once you have read and understood the eligibility criteria and feel you meet the basic criteria for applying, it’s time to fill out an application form.
If you have any questions, contact us.
2. Review the timings of the application window
We have three application windows per year. See full details of each window here.
Please ensure your performance falls on or after the applicable start-date for your specific window.
It will not be possible to apply outside of these windows.
3. Fill out the application
Complete the form and submit it during the application window. Once you’ve submitted your form, you will receive a copy of it and an automatic confirmation of submission via email. (Do check your junk).
Please do not book any theatre tickets or travel ahead of your grant being approved, any arrangements should be provisional.
4. Application review stage
Your application will then be reviewed by our grants team and independent reviewer, one week following the close of the application window. Following this, you will receive an email with the outcome of your grant application and if approved, the amount we will provide.
If your grant is unsuccessful you can apply again in the future.
5. If your grant is successful
Within your grant outcome email, you’ll be informed about the amount of grant funding awarded, the requirements for submitting an invoice for 80% of your grant ahead of the theatre trip, and information on our evaluation form.
You’ll then be able to organise your trip, by booking tickets, arranging transport and other necessary steps. You can also visit our Education Hub to enhance the educational impact of your theatre trip. We’ll also help you book your trip if it’s using a special promotion exclusive to theatre works! such as for Wicked or The Lion King.
We’ll pay the 80% invoice directly to the applicant approximately two months before your theatre trip.
6. The theatre trip & evaluation
Have a wonderful theatre trip and share it with us via our social channels.
Following your trip we ask that the applicant completes an Evaluation Form which collates feedback quotes from the children attending, it’s essential for measuring our impact.
If the evaluation is satisfactory, then the remaining 20% balance will be paid. If balancing invoices are not submitted within 60 days of the performance date, we will withdraw our grant for the outstanding 20% amount.
FAQs - UK Schools
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A theatre works! grant can be used to subsidise a school trip to the theatre to see a play, pantomime or musical. It can be used to go towards the cost of tickets, transport and additional education activities like post-show Q&As and backstage tours.
It cannot be used for refreshments and programmes.
UK Schools can apply for a grant of up to £2000.
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Every 2 years to ensure our support reaches new children.
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The requested performance date must be on or after the applicable grant application window performance date. We give grants up to 12 months from this date.
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A curriculum-based play refers to a play where there is a direct link between what students are studying in school and what they will be attending at the theatre.
For example, if students are studying Hamlet in class and will be attending a theatre performance of Hamlet, that would be a ‘curriculum-based’ play and in this case we only pay for Pupil Premium students.
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Unfortunately, we can’t support every application we receive due to available funds.
We want to support grants that deliver the most impact to children and young people.
We want to see where an effort is made to provide related educational experiences. These efforts may be as simple as a teacher devoting some pre- and post-classroom time to discussing the impact of the play. We also encourage signing up for Q&A sessions where these are available.
Please specify in your application what efforts you will make to ensure a wide range of children from underserved communities benefit from this programme.
Preference will be given to applications that show the school has implemented plans to reach out to children who may not have had the opportunity to attend theatre performances in the past.
However, make every effort not to single out Pupil Premium students.
We are keen to consider local needs and gaps in arts access. We may favour rural applicants if the application indicates there is little or no access to cultural activities for children from underserved communities and young people in the area.
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Unfortunately, we are unable to support every grant application due to available funds.
The decision on a grant application is final; we do not engage in discussions on reasons for our decision. However, you may make a subsequent application.
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Feedback from students and teachers is critical to the charity. People who are considering donating to the charity look at the evidence we provide to see if the charity is being effective. Direct feedback from children is critical to our work.
We like direct quotes that talk about what the experience meant to the student. Please don’t simply say that a Child or young person liked the play. Possible feedback questions are provided on the evaluation report. If related workshops or educational materials are created, please tell us about them. We also like to see extracts of written work or pictures students created.
Video footage is welcome including from any workshops or post-event activities. We appreciate that getting parental permission for filming students can be challenging.
Please note that the quality of your feedback (and application) will be taken into account as part of the consideration given to any future applications to theatre works!
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The evaluation form is due to 30 days after the performance.
Consider how you will gather feedback from students if the performance is close to the end of the school term.
See Terms and Conditions for more information.
FAQs - UK Theatres & Touring Companies
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£5000. This can be used towards tickets, transport and additional educational activities for local schools.
We do not pay for programmes and refreshments.
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Every year, however, the funding must support different schools to the previous application. The same school cannot benefit consecutively, two years in a row.
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London Theatres can apply for grants to enable schools to visit, but the schools supported must be based outside of the M25 and meet our eligibility criteria.
We want young people to have the opportunity to experience the thrill of big London shows as well as the productions at regional theatres across the country. We aim to limit London theatre grants to approximately 15% of our offering.
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The requested performance date must be on or after the applicable grant application window performance date. We give grants up to 12 months from this date.
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A curriculum-based play refers to a play where there is a direct link between what students are studying in school and what they will be attending at the theatre.
For example, if students are studying Hamlet in class and will be attending a theatre performance of Hamlet, that would be a ‘curriculum-based’ play and in this case we only pay for Pupil Premium students.
-
Unfortunately, we can’t support every application we receive due to available funds.
We want to support grants that deliver the most impact to children and young people.
We want to see where an effort is made to provide related educational experiences. These efforts may be as simple as a teacher devoting some pre- and post-classroom time to discussing the impact of the play. We also encourage signing up for Q&A sessions where these are available.
Please specify in your application what efforts you will make to ensure a wide range of children from underserved communities benefit from this programme.
Preference will be given to applications that show the school has implemented plans to reach out to children who may not have had the opportunity to attend theatre performances in the past.
However, make every effort not to single out Pupil Premium students.
We are keen to consider local needs and gaps in arts access. We may favour rural applicants if the application indicates there is little or no access to cultural activities for children from underserved communities and young people in the area.
-
Unfortunately, we are unable to support every grant application due to available funds.
The decision on a grant application is final; we do not engage in discussions on reasons for our decision. However, you may make a subsequent application.
-
Feedback from students and teachers is critical to the charity. People who are considering donating to the charity look at the evidence we provide to see if the charity is being effective. Direct feedback from children is critical to our work.
We like direct quotes that talk about what the experience meant to the student. Please don’t simply say that a Child or young person liked the play. Possible feedback questions are provided on the evaluation report. If related workshops or educational materials are created, please tell us about them. We also like to see extracts of written work or pictures students created.
Video footage is welcome including from any workshops or post-event activities. We appreciate that getting parental permission for filming students can be challenging.
Please note that the quality of your feedback (and application) will be taken into account as part of the consideration given to any future applications to theatre works!
-
The evaluation form is due to 30 days after the performance.
Consider how you will gather feedback from students if the performance is close to the end of the school term.
See Terms and Conditions for more information.
Apply Now
Now that you’ve read the criteria, you’re ready to complete the application form when the next application window opens.
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Please note that the quality of your feedback (and application) will be taken into account as part of the consideration given to any future applications you may make to theatre works!
You have six months from the date of our approval to your application to claim your grant by submitting your initial 80% invoice.
You must claim the balancing 20% within 60 days of the performance otherwise you will forfeit payment.
You confirm that a written Child Safety Policy equivalent to that adopted by the NSPCC is in place, including a Disclosure and Barring Service or equivalent checks for everyone who will be working with the children.
You confirm that the grant will only be used for the purposes outlined in the application, and any unspent funds will be returned to us.
If false information is provided or funds are used for purposed outside those outlined, we will require repayment of funds.
theatre works! will not accept responsibility for any claims arising from the events for which funding has been agreed.
You agree that we can make public the name of the school(s) or sponsoring organisation that receives a grant from us.
You agree that any information provided to us, including quotes and photos from children and teachers, can be used for the charity’s promotional purposes.