Sterts Arts and Environment Centre has been a much-loved part of the arts community in Cornwall for decades. Founded in the 1980s by Ewart and Anne Sturrock as an open-air theatre, it gradually developed into the iconic tent structure which is so widely recognised across the South West. Sadly, having been replaced once, the second canopy suffered storm damage in 2022 that put it beyond repair.
The rebuilding of the community theatre is being funded with the help of a £200,000 investment from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Rural Prosperity Fund, which is managed by Cornwall Council and funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
This will be combined with a Community Ownership Fund grant of £300,000 which Sterts were also fortunate enough to secure, allowing Sterts to replace the fragile canvas structure with a more robust steel-framed building.
Cornwall Council portfolio holder for economy, Louis Gardner said: “This well respected and much-admired community theatre space will once again be able to inspire our young people to get involved with creativity and the arts within their own locality, making culture and the connection to heritage more accessible to those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to participate.”
Sterts has long been recognised for the quality of its community productions, both original and well-known, and for its work in engaging young people in the performing arts. This new building will allow Sterts to develop the use of the site, extending the season and enabling them to host a much wider range of arts, heritage, and environmental events.
As part of the re-launch that this grant has enabled, Sterts is committed to extending both the range of activities and reach by offering opportunities for the whole of our community, to the rest of Cornwall and Devon as well as visitors to our beautiful region.
For more information, visit https://www.sterts.co.uk/stertsrelaunch