News Garfield Weston Foundation grant supports life-changing community arts programme

Cast is delighted to announce that it has been awarded £60,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation to help sustain and grow its Participation Programme over the next two years, enabling more people across Doncaster to access creative opportunities that reduce isolation, improve wellbeing and build stronger communities.

The Garfield Weston Foundation supports charities across the UK to make a lasting difference in their communities, investing in organisations that deliver meaningful social impact.

The funding will support the core running costs of Cast's Participation team, ensuring that thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds from across Doncaster can continue to benefit from inclusive creative experiences that place wellbeing, confidence and connection at their heart.

As Doncaster's flagship theatre, Cast believes everyone should have the opportunity to experience the transformative power of the arts. Based in one of the country's most economically disadvantaged areas, the theatre delivers a year-round Participation Programme designed alongside local communities. It supports children and young people, older adults, people experiencing mental health challenges, refugees and people seeking asylum, people with disabilities, and families facing financial difficulties.

Each year, Cast delivers more than 700 participation sessions, engaging almost 14,000 people through activities that foster creativity, connection and personal growth.

Over the next two years, the Garfield Weston Foundation grant will support a wide range of community programmes, including:

• Early Years activities, introducing babies and young children to creativity through play, music and storytelling while supporting parents and carers to connect with one another.
• Cast Youth Theatre, where nearly 180 young people aged 3-26 develop confidence, creativity and friendships in an inclusive environment, with financial support ensuring that cost is never a barrier to participation.
• Doncaster People's Theatre, an intergenerational company bringing together people aged 7 to 86 to create ambitious productions, reduce loneliness and celebrate local stories.
• Community outreach programmes, working alongside local organisations to remove barriers to cultural participation and create welcoming opportunities for underrepresented communities across the borough.

Cast's Participation Programme is built around the belief that creativity can be a powerful tool for improving lives. Participants regularly report increased confidence, stronger social connections, improved mental wellbeing and a greater sense of belonging after taking part in creative activities.

Sarah Clough, Head of Participation at Cast, said: "Every week we see the difference creativity makes to people's lives. We see individuals grow in confidence, develop friendships, improve their wellbeing and discover talents they never knew they had. This generous support from the Garfield Weston Foundation gives us the stability to continue delivering this vital work and reach even more people across Doncaster who may otherwise face barriers to taking part in the arts.

"Our Participation Programme exists because of the incredible relationships we've built with our communities. This funding allows us to continue listening, responding and creating opportunities that reflect what local people want and need, ensuring everyone feels welcome, valued and able to belong at Cast."

The funding comes at a particularly important time as arts organisations across the country face increasing financial pressures. By supporting essential operating costs, the Garfield Weston Foundation is helping ensure Cast can continue investing in the people, expertise and partnerships that underpin its community work.

James Blakey, Director of Cast, said:  "We're incredibly grateful to the Garfield Weston Foundation for recognising the importance of this work. This investment is about people. It enables our expert Participation team to continue creating welcoming, inclusive spaces where creativity can flourish and where people from every background can experience the life-changing benefits of the arts.

This funding strengthens our commitment to making Cast a place where everyone belongs and where creativity plays a central role in building healthier, happier and more connected communities across Doncaster."

The award will help secure the future of Cast's Participation Programme, giving the organisation greater confidence to plan for the long term, develop new partnerships and ensure creative opportunities remain accessible to everyone in Doncaster.

"Cast is a place where dreams come true, where you're safe. I can be myself. Everybody is an equal and gets treated that way. It's a special place."Participant

At Cast, everyone is welcome to get involved