A YOUTH theatre in the Forest which was forced to close pre-pandemic is set for a dramatic comeback thanks to a significant grant award.

The stage is set for the return of Found in the Forest Youth Theatre thanks to a £225,000 award from Arts Council England’s latest investment programme, ‘Let’s Create’.

The theatre produced eclectic performing arts shows with young people in the district from 2006-2019 as part of the work of local arts charity Air in G (Arts in Rural Gloucestershire).

The charity made the difficult decision to close the theatre due to funding issues pre-Covid, but because of the impact of the pandemic on the health and wellbeing of young people in the Forest, they felt the theatre was needed now more than ever.

Executive Director Ed O’Driscoll, who will run the theatre, said: “People in the Forest will know how sad we were when we had to bring the curtain down just before Covid.

“This new money will make such a difference for youngsters in the Forest and we can’t wait to get classes up and running again.”

He added of the value of performing arts provision: “We know that young people have suffered in lockdown. We also know that mental health is an issue.

“There is strong evidence that the performing arts can help young people work through anxieties in a positive way through drama.

“In our successful bid to Arts Council England, we contended that youth theatre had never been more needed.

“We also want young people simply to enjoy themselves.There is huge value in high-quality, cultural experiences, and youth theatre is a great way to set children onto that path.”

The full grant will be used to run the youth theatre for the next three years, starting in April 2023, as well as supporting Air in G’s core programme of bringing national acts to village halls and community centres across the county.

Elsewhere, Forest arts charity Cinderford Artspace was also successful in securing £150,000 from the fund.

Gloucestershire Libraries also secured £750,000 to support customer development and work with hard-to-reach groups, with the Forest of Dean identified as a priority place for investment.

The ‘Lets Create’ grants are part of a programme of more than £111 million of investment in the South West alone.