SMALL World Theatre has been awarded a grant by the Theatres Trust's Theatre Improvement Scheme, in association with the Wolfson Foundation, offering capital funding towards improvements and urgent repairs to its building.

Small World Theatre is an environmental theatre company renowned for creating giant puppets, public events such as the hugely popular Cardigan Giant Lantern Parade, and art commissions including Art Afoot / Celf ar Droed, the recent public art trail in Goodwick and Fishguard.

Based in Cardigan, Small World Theatre’s venue is a hugely popular creative hub, delivering arts and wellbeing programmes, a thriving aerial circus school, a vibrant youth theatre, and presenting live shows and entertainment throughout the year.

Funding is for a three-part project to repair crucial features that contribute to the venue’s environmental credentials. These include repairing the rainwater harvesting system installed in 2008 for the toilets, washing machine and bathroom sinks - saving energy and costs associated with mains water distribution. The existing sedum roof has slipped and is damaged. Replacing it will provide insulation, reduce flood risk, extracts carbon, boosts oxygen and encourages pollinators. Lastly, damp repairs will save on heating costs and carbon emissions.

Theatres Trust CEO Joshua McTaggart says, “Theatres Trust is delighted to support Small World Theatre with these crucial repairs, ensuring that the theatre company can continue to be a pioneer in sustainable theatre and offer a beacon of hope to its community in face of the climate emergency.”

Another West Wales theatre to benefit from the scheme in past years was the Torch Theatre, Milford Haven, which used to 2023 grant to install a new air conditioning unit in its ground floor café/gallery space, improving temperature control and energy efficiency by an estimated 40 per cent.

More information about the Improvement Scheme and its recipients can be found on the Theatres Trust website.