Worthing Borough Council has approved a multi‑million funding package for Worthing Theatres and Museum (WTM) that will commit the authority to a total payment of £5,309,170 between April 2027 and March 2032. The decision, taken this week, locks in support for the town’s principal cultural venues while setting out a path for reduced direct council subsidy over the life of the agreement.
A shift towards financial resilience
The five‑year agreement underlines the council’s intention to help WTM remain a major provider of theatre, live music, comedy, dance, exhibitions, cinema, family shows, workshops and community events that attract residents and visitors to Worthing.
However, council papers show the annual contribution from the authority will fall from £1,180,234 in 2027/28 to £999,234 in 2031/32. That change represents a 28.6% reduction in the authority’s contribution when compared with the 2024/25 funding level, the documents state.
"Alongside the council's significant investment, the agreement supports WTM’s ambition to become increasingly financially resilient through commercial income, external funding, fundraising and developing new partnerships."
The arrangement also extends a broader operating relationship between WTM and the council until October 2044. Under the terms the council will pay an annual service fee to WTM in two instalments each year, in April and October, providing predictable funding milestones for the charity while it seeks to diversify income streams.
What this means locally
WTM operates several venues across Worthing, including the Connaught Theatre, Pavilion Theatre, Assembly Hall and Worthing Museum & Art Gallery. The charity was established in November 2019 when these services were brought together under independent charitable management — an arrangement designed to give the venues greater autonomy and to encourage a move towards financial independence.
Council leaders have framed the new deal as offering stability during a period of change in local government, enabling WTM to plan ahead despite the uncertainty that reorganisation can bring. Councillors said the grant structure is intended to incentivise WTM to increase commercial income and secure external funding.
- Total committed: £5,309,170 (April 2027–March 2032)
- 2027/28 contribution: £1,180,234
- 2031/32 contribution: £999,234
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agreement length (funding) | April 2027 – March 2032 |
| Operating agreement | Runs to October 2044 |
| Venues managed by WTM | Connaught Theatre, Pavilion Theatre, Assembly Hall, Worthing Museum & Art Gallery |
For audiences and local arts workers, the funding commitment offers reassurance that the town’s major cultural programme will continue to operate. But the planned reduction in direct council support also signals a period in which WTM will be expected to grow non‑council revenues and broaden fundraising efforts to plug any gap.
Worthing’s cultural sector contributes to the town’s wider social and economic life; ticketed events, exhibitions and community activities help sustain jobs and draw spending into local businesses. Council documents stress that the new model is intended to strike a balance between providing a public subsidy and encouraging a charity‑led, commercially robust future for WTM.
Further details on specific annual budgets for each year of the five‑year package are recorded in the council’s funding papers. Local residents and stakeholders will be watching how the charity responds to the twin demands of delivering its programme while increasing its commercial and fundraising income.
