BOSSES at Hull Truck say new Arts Council funding has given the theatre company a more secure future.
The city centre-based company was thrown a one-off £400,000 funding lifeline earlier this year to help overcome financial pressures.
Now it has emerged as one of the big winners in the Arts Council's new three-year funding programme for arts and cultural organisations across the country.
Under the new deal, Hull Truck will see its current annual funding of £540,680 increase to £790,680 for each of the next three years.
In addition, the company was successful in securing capital funding worth £130,000 to upgrade communications and IT equipment at its venue in Ferensway.
Mark Babych, Hull Truck's artistic director, said the funding would help him shape his creative ambitions for the theatre.
"The Arts Council England grant, together with continuing support from Hull City Council, allows us to put together an exciting programme of work that builds on the critical and popular success achieved by A Taste of Honey," he said.
"The theatre will become a home for a rich variety of compelling human stories.
"We will make work inspired by our city, celebrate northern voices, produce exciting and imaginative work for children and families and continue to carry the name of Hull across the UK through our touring work.
"Audiences will see quality home- grown productions made here in Hull, together with some of the best national and international theatre around and a real commitment to developing people and ideas through our talent development programme."
Chairman Alan Dix said: "This is great news for Hull Truck and the city.
"It places the theatre in a position where we can confidently work with our cultural and civic partners to build a dynamic, imaginative home for the performing arts in Hull.
"The funding uplift will stabilise the theatre and enable the creative talents of the team and the many artists we work with to enrich the lives of audiences from Hull and across the region.
"We could not have achieved this without the consistent support of the city council and is a win for Hull Truck, a win for Hull and a win for the many communities who will participate in 2017 City of Culture."
Hull Truck will lead the development of the drama strand of the City of Culture programme.
Funding from the Arts Council is conditional, with a requirement to produce business plans showing how the theatre will grow income from sponsorship and events.
