Please help Playbox Theatre to urgently repair the roof of The Dream Factory, Warwick, which is home to 1,000s young people developing their ability, and their confidence, through the arts. The situation is now so serious, that the future of this purpose-built theatre for young people is under significant threat. We ask for your help to raise the roof and to ensure the survival of this unique theatre complex for the young.

A little history of our work: Playbox has been a creative home and an artistic sanctuary for over half a million children and young people, since it opened its doors in 1986. Founded by Mary King, Playbox was always to be a place where young people would be given a powerful artistic voice, as well as creative training across a broad spectrum of arts, and a place where their voices would be heard, where they would be challenged and where they would be able to create theatre, in its many forms, to the highest possible, professional, standards.

In 1999, Playbox opened the doors to The Dream Factory, exclusively for young people, with its many studios, its café, outdoor spaces, and beautiful main theatre. The Dream Factory was designed by Glenn Howells Architects alongside the design arm of Cirque du Soleil, Sceno Plus, who were our superb Scenographers. Situated in the Heart of England, there had never been another complex quite like it in Europe unique, high-spec, developed through consultation with our young people at every point.

From the moment The Dream Factory flung open its doors, Playbox could offer even greater opportunities to its members, who would now have an artistic home - a creative powerhouse - to call their own, where the young would retain total ownership, and the directors, technicians, designers and administrators would work to fully support their development as unique individuals, growing up in a world where they should feel confident, articulate, compassionate and where they would become superb creative thinkers.

This company does not receive regular funding, but relies totally upon self-supportive finances, including membership fees, café revenue, box office, education programmes and self-help fundraising. With passion, determination, and an intense belief in our young people as artists, Playbox Theatre thrives, and is heralded across the world as a model of excellence for creative work with the young.

Having survived the challenges of Covid, we now face another major problem. The roof of the theatre is severely damaged, and requires urgent repair. As the leaks became more frequent and widespread, more and more buckets were needed. When the water began pouring through light fittings and causing parts of the interior walls and rooves to crumble, we realised it was far more serious than we had initially thought. Following full surveys, we have to face the reality that the roof must be fully repaired and insulated, as quickly as possible.

The figure we need to achieve through this campaign is £100,000 which would contribute significantly to the £250,000 total we need to generate. This amount will enable us to repair the roof, and to make good the considerable damage that has been caused to the theatre, as a result of the persistent leaks.

Your support will help to ensure that Playbox Theatres Dream Factory a lifeline for so many, and a jewel in Warwickshire's Crown, can continue to provide exceptional opportunities for generations of young people today, and in the future.

With your help, we can do this!

Thank you for reading this, and for your support. No donation is too small, or too large.

Emily Quash

Artistic Director