The next application process will open following the next meeting of the Trust.
Once established, in a converted chapel in Kings Cross (built entirely with voluntary labour), Unity became the inspiration for a national upsurge in drama on social and political issues, since it was the only theatre in London throughout the 1930's, 1940's and early 1950's producing plays on these subjects.
Alongside shows specially created for Unity, it drew on the repertoire of world theatre, including innovative productions of works by Clifford Odets, Sean O'Casey, Lope de Vega, Jean Paul Sartre and Arthur Adamov. It was the first theatre in England to stage a play by Bertolt Brecht and it helped popularise the plays of Maxim Gorky.
Unity's strength lay with its audience drawn mainly from the trades unions and organised labour movements, but amongst its supporters were many eminent personalities e.g. Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells, Sybil Thorndike, Beatrix Lehmann and Paul Robeson whose appearance with Unity, followed by international acclaim for the political pantomime Babes in the Wood, marked the peak of the theatre's fame.
With the outbreak of war, Unity was the first theatre to open in London once the ban on public entertainment had been lifted and it maintained a permanent repertory of plays, satirical revues and musicals throughout the five years of hostilities. It also sent out small groups of performers who, often in hazardous conditions, provided valuable shelter and factory entertainment for those winning the war at home.
Unity emerged from the war at the head of a national drama movement that was concerned with the lives of working people. Soon however, many of the developments pioneered by Unity, such as vernacular drama, Living Newspaper and biting satirical shows, were accepted by the theatrical mainstream and television.
Many well-known theatre people - Lionel Bart, Alfie Bass, Michael Gambon, Bob Hoskins, David Kossoff, Warren Mitchell, Bill Owen and Ted Willis among them - learned their skills at this influential theatre which was the working people's most sustained and successful contribution to British drama and one of the most important and enduring initiatives in popular culture this century.
The Trust
The Trust was set up as a charity in the spirit of the traditions of the theatre and its history. The purpose of the Trust is:
To advance the education of the public by fostering, promoting and increasing the interest of the public in the art of drama and in the co-related arts
The trust is governed by a Board of Trustees.
Unity Theatre Trust. UK Registered Charity No.210387
There are usually four Trust meetings a year to consider a maximum of 30 successfully submitted grant applications at each meeting.
The website will be updated frequently to show the date of the next meeting and when the application process opens.
As soon as 30 applications have been successfully submitted and received by the Secretary of the Trust it will not be possible to submit an application. If you missed the window for applications please try again next quarter.
The "start your application" button will normally be available below from 15 days after each meeting of the Trustees.
When you click the "start your application" button, the application form will open and you can begin.
Please ensure you have read the guidance notes and conditions of grant before applying and take note that already secured funds from recognised grant bodies will favour applications.
You will have to agree to the conditions of grant to submit your application.
UNITY THEATRE TRUST GRANT APPLICATION
These are the sections you will have to fill in on your application when you start:
IMPORTANT: To help you complete the form please make sure you follow these instrucitons:
In order to apply for a grant you must use the online form.
The system wil not save a draft - you will need to complete your application when ready.
UNITY THEATRE TRUST GRANTS
GUIDANCE NOTES AND CONDITIONS OF GRANT
Brief history and traditions of Unity Theatre and the Trust.
Unity Theatre grew out of the agitprop street theatre in the East End of London in the early 1930's. Once established in a converted chapel in Kings Cross (built entirely with voluntary labour) Unity became the inspiration for a national upsurge in drama on social and political issues, since it was the only theatre in London throughout the 30's, 40's and early 50's producing plays on these subjects. Alongside shows specially created for Unity, it drew on the repertoire of world theatre, including innovative productions of works by Clifford Odets, Sean O'Casey, Lope de Vega, Jean Paul Sartre and Arthur Adamov. It was the first theatre in England to stage a play by Bertolt Brecht and it helped popularise the plays of Maxim Gorky.
Unity's strength lay with its audience drawn mainly from the trades unions and organised labour movements, but amongst its supporters were many eminent personalities e.g. Bernard Shaw, H.G.Wells, Sybil Thorndike, Beatrix Lehmann and Paul Robeson whose appearance with Unity, followed by international acclaim for the political pantomime Babes in the Wood, marked the peak of the theatre's fame.
With the outbreak of war, Unity was the first theatre to open in London once the ban on public entertainment had been lifted and it maintained a permanent repertory of plays, satirical revues and musicals throughout the five years of hostilities. It also sent out small groups of performers who, often in hazardous conditions, provided valuable shelter and factory entertainment for those winning the war at home.
Unity emerged from the war at the head of a national drama movement that was concerned with the lives of working people. Soon however, many of the developments pioneered by Unity, such as vernacular drama, Living Newspaper and biting satirical shows, were accepted by the theatrical mainstream and television.
Unity Theatre was destroyed by fire in 1975.
Many well-known theatre people - Lionel Bart, Alfie Bass, Michael Gambon, Bob Hoskins, David Kossoff, Warren Mitchell, Bill Owen and Ted Willis among them - learned their skills at this influential theatre which was the working people's most sustained and successful contribution to British drama and one of the most important and enduring initiatives in popular culture this century.
The Trust
Unity Theatre Trust was set up as a charity in the spirit of these traditions. The main objectives of the Trust are to advance the education of the public by fostering, promoting and increasing the interest of people in the art of drama and co-related arts.
Grant Aid
In the main, the Trust will fund drama and theatre related activities, but in addition, it will also fund projects in film, TV, video, music and dance. The Trustees reserve the right to include other areas if an application merits it, as long as the application falls within the Trust's charitable aims.
Eligibility
The Trust usually funds UK based projects or activities carried out by organisations. Individuals sponsored by organisations are also eligible to apply for a grant. Applicants are expected to have raised a large proportion of the project’s costs for which they are applying for a grant.
Take note that already secured funds from recognised grant bodies will favour applications.
Applications for projects starting before the relevant Trust meeting will not be considered.
Financial conditions
All successful applicants must keep detailed accounts in relation to the disbursement of the grant received and make these available to the Trust for inspection at all reasonable times. Any unused grant must be returned, unless prior permission has been given by the Trust for any other use.
Monitoring
In their efforts to monitor the effectiveness of their grant strategy, the Trustees expect all recipients of grant to inform the Trust of the success or otherwise of the activities for which the grant was given. They also expect to be invited to the performance of plays or events the Trust awards grants to. No grant may be used for any other purpose than that for which it was approved for without the prior permission of the Trust
The charitable aims of the Trust
All applicants, by accepting receipt of any grant, agree not to contravene the charitable aims of the Trust as summarised in (1) above
All successful applicants will be asked to confirm in writing their agreement as above before any grant is released.
Logo
All recipients of grant must acknowledge the support of Unity Theatre Trust by using the supplied logo, "SUPPORTED BY UNITY THEATRE TRUST" on all publicity and correspondence.
Grant dates & Maximum number of applications considered
There are usually four Trust meetings a year to consider a maximum of 30 successfully submitted grant applications at each meeting.
The website will be updated frequently to show the date of the next meeting and when the application process opens. The following messages may be seen depending on the status of the application process:
You are seeing this message either because 30 applications have been submitted, or the window for applications has closed.
Please check again for details fo the next application period and then make sure you submit your application quickly!
Applications will normally be possible from 15 days after each meeting of the Trustees.
Administration of grants
The Trustees will inform successful applicants how their grant will be administered but it will usually be done in one of the following ways:
I. The total grant approved paid directly to the organisation's bank account
ii. A progress report should be submitted to the Trust by all successful projects.
1936 to 1948
1936
Private Hicks
Waiting for Lefty
Where’s that Bomb?
1937
Opening of new Workers Theatre Programme
Plant in the Sun
Not for us
Cannibal Carnival
Aristocrats
1938
Plant in the Sun/Bury the dead
Busmen
Babes in the Wood
Case of the Baffled Boss
Trial of a Judge
Señora Carrars Rifles
Bury the Dead
“Crisis Czechoslovakia”
1939
Give me Liberty
Harvest in the North
Colony
Orchestral concert
Sandbag Follies
Turn up the lights
1940
Jack the Giant Killer
Distant Point
Match Girls
“Old Time Music Hall”
4th Anniversary Fair
The Star Turns Red
1941
Distant Point
Till the Day I Die
In the Spirit of the Revolution
1942
Sabotage
Get Cracking
Let’s be Offensive
1943
Buster
Grand Review
“India Speaks”
One Third of a Nation
Sword of the Spirit
Salute to the Gentle Sex
Spanish Village
1944
All Change Here
Green and Pleasant Land
The Rochdale Pioneers
Comrade Detective
One More Mile
Winkles and Champagne
Shop Window
Alice in Thunderland
1945
The Yellow Star
Late Extra
Juno and the Paycock
Swinging to the Left
They came to a City
God Bless the Guv’nor
1946
Gold is where you find it
Lower Depths
Citizen Kane
Buster
The Star turns Red (Revival)
Boy meets Girl
All God’s Chillun Got Wings
Awake and Sing!
Casey Jones
Star Parade
Pardon my Greek
This Trampled Earth
The Shepherd and the Hunter
1947
Dragnet
Out of the Dust
What Happens to Love
Golden Boy
Enemies
Stars on Parade
The Match Girls
The Russian Question
Black Magic
1948
The Star Turns Red
What’s Left
All Star Variety Show
Winkles and Champagne
The Whole World Over
Lions After Slumber
Six Men of Dorset
All Star Concert
1949 to 1960
1949
The Townshends
Cousin Elwyn
Plant in the Sun/Where’s That Bomb
The Jolly George
Thirteenth Anniversary Variety Concert
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
1950
The Circling Dove
Buster
Hell is what you make It
Winkles and Champagne
How I Wonder
Longitude
1951
The World of the King
“Here Goes!”
Hawthorne Grove
Mother Goose
The Germans
The Cradle will Rock
1952
Barrier Across Europe
The Wages of Eve
The Candy Story
Strangers in the Land
Mild and Bitter
Christmas Bridge
The Bridge of Life
1953
Three in a Row
Turn it up
No!
The Rosenbergs
Cinderella
1954
Timid People
Reedy River
Shoemakers Holiday
The Land of the living
The Dockers Tanner
Montserrat
1955
The Road to Life
Pillars of Society
The Shadow of the Swastika
The Russian For Yes
The Women of Troy
Peace Meal
1956
Othello
Nekrassov
Widowers Houses
Polly
World on Edge
The Exception and the Rule
Hold the Line
1957
Burlesque
Paul Robeson Concert
Mind the Baby
Cyanamide
Match Girls
TV & Labour Movement Conference
The Biggest Thief in Town
Wally Pone
1958
The Ganze Macher
The Crucible
Tripe and Onions/The Green Eyed Monster
Robin Hood and His Merry Men
Call me not Naomi
Heartbreak House June
Mother Courage
1959
Take it as Red
Puerto Franco
God Bless the Guv’nor
Anna Christie
The Risen People
Rocket for the Governor
1960
Shakespeare’s Lovers
Lady Audley’s Secret/Music Hall
Androcles and the Lion
Bloomsday
The Offshore Island
The Big Win with Cage Productions
Drama in the Making
The Seagull
You Won’t Always be on Top
Ragged Trousered Philanthropist
Misadventures of Mr Pickwick
1961 to 1970
1961
The Visions of Simone Machard
Beer and Skittles
The Lower Depths
The Recruiting Officer
And him Stretched
Affluent Athenian
1962
Aladdin
Hedda Gabler
1963
Spring ‘71
Away
Circus
The Man who bought a Battlefield
All Star Charity Show
Gala Cabaret and Dance
The Fury of Philip Hotz/The Scavengers
Unity Theatre and the Unions
See a Man falling
Port and Lemon
Good Woman of Setzuan
Life of Kaggs
Three in One
High Jinks of Bishop Saull
School of Wives
East Lynne and Music Hall
A Doll’s House
People Like Us
The Deviates
1964
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Its Ours
Earoles
A Memorey of Two Mondays/Oh Freedom
The Glass Menagerie
Everything in the Garden
The Licence
Squaring the Circle
1965
Chicken Soup with Barley
Little Malcolm and his struggle against the Eunuchs
Yegor Bulichov
Julius Caesar
There’s a Megabutton on my Living-room Floor
Christmas Palace of Varieties
God Bless the Guv’nor
Sweeney Todd and Music Hall
1966
Death of a Salesman
Playboy of the Western World
Inherit the Wind
1967
John D Muggins is Dead
The Country Wife
Gala Performance
The Don’t Just Sit There Show
Antigone
The Feather Pluckers
Armoured Train 14.69
1968
The Rent
Vietreview ‘68
Harold Muggins is a Martyr
Say Uncle
Billy Liar
Dirty Work at the Crossroads
1969
The Diamond, Bone and Hammer and Along the Shoughs of Ulster
Strike
Rag to the Bull
The Frogs and Co... Axed
Epitaph for George Dillon
The Mother
Festival Music Hall
Cinderella
1970
Unity Theatre Artists/The Co-operation
Triple Bill
Jack and the Beanstalk
A Case for Euthanasia
The Agony
The Demonstration
The Bolsheviks
South Africa 70
The Misadventures of Mr Pickwick
1971 to 1994
1971
The Chinese Machine
Robert Owen
It’s Never too Late
The Farmworker
Captain Swing at the Penny Gaff
The Dragon
In Place of Strife
They made a present of Mornington Crescent
1972
Waiting for Lefty
Bull Durham or the Great Turd and How to Keep it Rolling
Summerfolk
Rent or Caught in the Act
Pins and Needles
Burlesque
Huis Clos and A Matter of Convenience
1973
“Festival of Poets”
L’Avare Et Cie
The Concert at Saint Ovide
Partitions
“C.A.A. Showcase”
One Way Trip
The Way of the World
By my Life
At Enormous Expense…
Tom Barker of Camden - and the World
“Old Time Music Hall”
The Reign of Terror and the Great Money Trick
New Positions
“…And play on the flutes of their own vertebrae”
How we knocked ‘em in the Old Kent Road
1974
Widower’s Houses
The Tolmer Square Show
Case for a Rebel
Janet Rosenberg, Dear Mr Kooning and The Inhabitants
The Recruiting Officer
Vietnam - “The Post-War’ War
The Jump
Storm Warning
The Tigers are Coming O.K. ?
The Police and Saxon
Memories
“The Collier Laddie” A Legend of the Coalfields
Before your very eyes
Ten Nights in a Bar Room
“NCCL 40th Anniversary Show”
Common will against the Giant
1975
Right Turn Triple Bill
The Bureaucracy Show
The Nuns
The Cocoa Party
1977
“God’s Just a Copper”
Waiting for Lefty
1979
God Bless The Guv’nor
1980
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
Mad Tom or the Man of Rights
1981
Then and The Clyde is Red
1982
“Reminiscences of Unity Theatre”
Then/Bikini Fable
New Positions
1983
Come Fry with me
Comprehensive Cut
1984
“A Tribute to Laurie Davies”
“Workers Theatre - National Theatre - Platforms at the National”
1990
“May Day Social”
“Unity Social”
1991
What’s Left Now
1992
Major Minor a Topical Revue, with A Small Price
1994
Horseman Pass by
The trust maintains an archive of heritage materials relevant to the theatre.
If you would like to access the Archives please follow the procedure below:
Unity Theatre Archives are now housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in Blythe House.
The Unity Archive can be viewed in the V&A reading room in West Kensington by appointment. The V&A archive catalogue can be searched at this link and appointments to view material can be made directly with the V & A.
The reading room is located in Blythe House near the Kensington Olympia exhibition centre. The nearest station is Kensington Olympia on the District and Overground lines. They are open Tuesday-Friday, 10.15am-4.30pm.
This is a free service but an appointment must be made.
V&A Theatre & Performance Enquiry Service Blythe House 23 Blythe Road London W14 0QX
Unity Theatre Trust Website Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
1.Privacy Policy
The Unity Theatre Trust (UTT) is a registered UK charity, no. 210387. We are very respectful about the privacy concerns of the visitors to any of its sites on the Internet.
Information we collect and how we use it:
As a general policy, no personal information is automatically collected from passing visitors to its sites. However, certain non-personal information is recorded by the standard operation of its Internet servers. This information is primarily used to provide an enhanced online experience for the visitor and to provide UTT with non-personally identifiable statistics about use of the sties.
UTT websites use session cookies when you browse them. These cookies do not contain any personally identifying information.
The collection, storage, and use of any information that we collect about you in relation to your application for the awarding, and administration, of a Grant is for the sole use of enabling the Trustees to decide about grant or Bursary applications and will be in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We process this information under UK GDPR Article 6(1)(b) relating to Contract. When an application is successful and a grant awarded, we will keep this information for 6 years. When an application is unsuccessful, we will keep the information for 2 years and then delete or destroy it.
To communicate with you, except in the context of any grant application or award or administration of a grant, we will obtain your specific consent. We use this information only for our own organisation and we will not sell or otherwise transfer it outside the organisation. Where we send out email newsletters they will always contain instructions on how to discontinue receipt and how to unsubscribe from our mailing list. You can unsubscribe at any time. We process this information under UK GDPR Article 6(1)(a) relating to Consent. We will keep your consents until you remove them.
Users should be aware that when they voluntarily disclose personal information (e.g., user name, e-mail address, phone number) on any bulletin boards or chat areas that may be in operation, the information can be collected and used by others and may result in unsolicited messages from other people. To the extent that any of our sites accessible through www.unitytheatre.org.uk may have additional practices, these practices will be explained at that site.
Where and how we store your information:
We take reasonable manual and automatic measures to protect Personal Data within our organisation. We store your information on a protected server that is regularly scanned for malware and viruses. Our website is hosted on a server using SSL technology and that is regularly scanned for malware and viruses. Physical records are kept under lock and key and only accessible to authorised people.
What happens if there is an information data breach?
If we discover that your information has been accessed irregularly we will let you know about it by email no less than 72 hours from the date of discovery. If you have reason to believe that Your information has been accessed irregularly you should contact us immediately to let us know.
Your rights:
If you are a European Union resident you have the right to:
If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact at ObscureMyEmail or through any of the means indicated. A fee will apply for processing the requests listed above. If we are unable to action your request due to legal reasons outside our control we will let you know.
2.Terms of Use
Please read these Terms Of Use carefully before using this site.
By using this site, you signify your understanding of and agreement with these Terms Of Use. If you do not agree with any of the below Terms Of Use, do not use this site.
The Unity Theatre Trust reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify, alter or otherwise update these Terms Of Use at any time and you agree to be bound by such modifications, alterations or updates.
2.1 Trademarks, Copyrights and Restrictions
This site is controlled and operated by The Unity Theatre Trust. All material on this site, including, but not limited to images, illustrations, audio clips, and video clips, is protected by copyrights which are owned and controlled by Unity Theatre Trust, or by other parties that have licensed their material to Unity Theatre Trust. Material from unitytheatre.org.uk or any website owned, operated, licensed or controlled by Unity Theatre Trust may be accessed copied printed and downloaded in an unaltered form, with copyright acknowledged, on a temporary basis, only for personal study and strictly for non-commercial use. Written permission from the Trust must be obtained for any other use including reproduction in any form, display in any form, performance or transmission by any means.
Applications for permission as required above should in the first instance, be addressed to:
The Secretary to the Trust by E-mail at: ObscureMyEmail
2.2 Linked Sites
Unity Theatre Trust, whether or not affiliated with sites which may be linked to this site, is not responsible for their content. The Linked Sites are for your convenience only and you access them at your own risk. Those sites may have their own Terms of Use and Privacy Policies and you should consult them independently.
2.3 Disclaimer
The materials in Unity Theatre Trust's Web Sites are provided "as is" and without warranties of any kind either express or implied. To the fullest extent permissible pursuant to applicable law, Unity Theatre Trust disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
Unity Theatre Trust does not warrant that the functions contained in the materials will be uninterrupted or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that Unity Theatre Trust's websites or the server that makes them available are free of viruses or other harmful components.
Unity Theatre Trust does not warrant or make any representations regarding the use or the results of the use of the materials in Unity Theatre Trust's websites in terms of their correctness, accuracy, reliability, or otherwise. You (and not Unity Theatre Trust) assume the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair or correction.
Applicable law may not allow the exclusion of implied warranties, so the above exclusion may not apply to you. The material that you read in Unity Theatre Trust's Web Sites is provided solely for research, entertainment and promotional purposes. The information and opinions expressed in any Bulletin Boards, Chat Rooms, or other forums conducted on or via this site are not necessarily those of Unity Theatre Trust or its affiliated or related entities or content providers and Unity Theatre Trust makes no representations or warranties regarding that information or those opinions. Furthermore, neither Unity Theatre Trust nor its affiliated or related entities or its content providers are responsible or liable to any person or entity whatsoever (including, without limitation, persons who may use or rely on such data/materials or to whom such data/materials may be furnished) for any loss, damage (whether actual, consequential, punitive or otherwise), injury, claim, liability or other cause of any kind or character whatsoever based upon or resulting from any information or opinions provided in Unity Theatre Trust's Web Sites.
2.4 Submissions
Unity Theatre Trust is not responsible for any material posted on our Forums. You shall not submit or otherwise publish through such Forums any content which:
a) libels, defames, invades privacy, or is obscene, pornographic, abusive, or threatening;
b) infringes any intellectual property or other right of any entity or person, including, but not limited to, violating anyone's copyrights or trademarks;
c) violates any law;
d) advocates illegal activity;
e) advertises or otherwise solicits funds or is a solicitation for goods or services; (collectively "Non-Approved Material").
You agree to indemnify Unity Theatre Trust and its officers, directors, employees, agents, distributors and affiliates from and against any and all third party claims, demands, liabilities, costs, or expenses, including reasonable legal fees, resulting from your breach of any of the foregoing agreements, representations, and warranties.
2.5 E-mail and Postings Received
Do not post any threatening or libellous e-mails or material on or via this site that would be considered a violation of any law. Unity Theatre Trust will fully cooperate with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing Unity Theatre Trust to disclose the identity of anyone posting any such e-mails or materials.
2.6 Jurisdictional Issues
Unless otherwise specified, the materials in Unity Theatre Trust web sites are presented solely for the purpose of research, entertainment and promoting programs and other products available in the United Kingdom, its territories, possessions, and protectorates.
This site is controlled and operated by Unity Theatre Trust from its offices within the United Kingdom, or by an agent of Unity Theatre Trust. Unity Theatre Trust makes no representation that materials in Unity Theatre Trust's Web Sites are appropriate or available for use in other locations. Those who choose to access this site from other locations do so on their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are applicable.
This agreement shall be governed by, construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of England, as it is applied to agreements entered into and to be performed entirely within England. Any action you, any third party or Unity Theatre Trust bring to enforce this agreement or, in connection with, any matters related to this site shall be brought only in either the Courts located in England, and you expressly consent to the jurisdiction of said courts.
If any provision of this agreement shall be unlawful, void, or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from this agreement and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions.
This is the entire agreement between the parties relating to the matters contained herein and shall not be modified except in writing.
Unity Theatre Trust
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England
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