Wick Theatre Company, Southwick, has received £8,800 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to mount an exhibition to celebrate bringing theatre to Southwick for 70 years.

Made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, the project focuses on notable events in each of the seven decades of bringing theatre to Southwick. Formed in 1948 the company has, to date, produced 263 productions in the Barn Theatre within Southwick Community Centre.

The exhibiton will engage with the local community in presenting historic material, memories of theatrical events and the development of the Community Centre into its present-day establishment as a home for all year round theatrical experiences. The exhibition opens Saturday June 30th and then through July.

Amanda Evans, exhibition curator explains: “The exhibition will tell of the Company’s journey, from the gathering, in 1948, of a small group of enthusiastic teenagers, and their mentoring by a local benefactor, through stage craft development by involvement with local drama competitions, to their presenting seventy seasons of award winning drama. The enthusistic teenagers included my parents!”

Bob Ryder, Chair of the Southwick Community Centre said: “Wick Theatre Company has a long connection with Southwick Community Association, which has been delighted to host the group’s activities over the last 70 years. Not least, Wick has been such a regular and distinguished contributor to the cultural offering in Southwick, in stage productions presented at the community centre’s Barn Theatre since it opened in 1951.”

For more information on Wick Theatre Company visit www.wicktheatre.co.uk