Drill Hall hits £20k milestone in bid to avoid closure

Lincoln Drill Hall has reached the £20,000 milestone in its fundraising campaign to save the venue from closure.

As previously reported, the charity-run venue on Free School Lane asked the local community to ‘Be a Brick’ as it needs to raise at least £130,000 a year.

Several celebrities including actor and musician Jason Donovan publicly backed the campaign, which has now raised tens of thousands of pounds within three months. Donations can be made by clicking here.

A significant amount was raised thanks to people and businesses buying a brick to show their support for just £10 or £50 per year. Those who donated left messages on colourful, smiling bricks on a virtual wall explaining why they’re giving the Drill Hall their support.

Additional money has also been raised through the venue’s Pay What You Decide scheme, which was recently made permanent. It is an option on a large number of innovative shows, enabling people to book a performance, choose how much they pay at the end and donate their chosen amount.

The scheme has also been extended to include selected shows aimed at children and young people. A Pay What You Decide Club has also been established for dedicated supporters.

Funds have also been raised by a number of groups and individuals who have hosted charity events including Lincs Indian Society, long time supporter Jo Tolley and members of the Drill Hall technical team.

Lincoln Drill Hall’s Chief Executive Chris Kirkwood said: “We’ve had an overwhelming response from the community, ticket holders and performers over the past few months, so we want to thank each and every person who has donated so far.

“We’re facing an unprecedented challenge but the support we’ve received so far has meant that our future is looking that much more secure, so we can continue to be a pillar of the community and supporter of the arts.

“£20,000 is a wonderful start to our fundraising efforts but we’ve still got a long way to go. Being a charity-run arts centre brings about a unique set of challenges, but it’s also what makes Drill Hall so special.

“We’d encourage anyone who wants to help secure our future to sponsor a brick, come along to see a show or take part in one of our fundraising activities over the coming months.”

The Lincolnite spoke to Chris last summer. Here’s what he had to say about the venue and its future: