In December 2025, The Merchants House of Glasgow awarded the Citizens Theatre £4,000 in funding to enable local schoolchildren to attend its Christmas production free of charge. The annual festive show is a highlight of the theatre’s programme and a much-loved family tradition for audiences across the city. Beyond its role as a major theatrical event, the production plays an important part in strengthening the theatre’s relationship with its local community.

‘The Citz’ works in close partnership with two nearby schools, St Francis Primary and Blackfriars Primary, delivering creative residencies and a weekly after-school session. The Merchants House funding provided 400 free tickets, along with ice creams at the interval, ensuring that pupils could enjoy a full and memorable theatre experience during the school day.

A representative from the Citizens Theatre explained:

“Many children in the schools face barriers to participating in the arts and culture, and for some the Citz is the first experience they have of drama or the magic of theatre. We deliver a range of activity in the schools, connected to the Christmas production of the year, and the children get to flex their creative muscles by telling their own versions of the stories we share. The power of storytelling is immeasurable, and the confidence, increase in numeracy and literacy and, perhaps most significantly, the willingness to put themselves forward to participate in various activities, has made the difference to these children.”

The visit also included a special curtain-raiser performance by the theatre’s G5 Creators group, reflecting local children’s responses to the themes of Beauty and the Beast. Seeing their peers perform on the main stage created an electric atmosphere in the auditorium and gave many pupils their first experience of live theatre. The project ensured that hundreds of children were able to enjoy a magical introduction to performance, while strengthening the Citizens Theatre’s long-standing commitment to its community.

The Citizens Theatre is the principal producing theatre in the west of Scotland, with a rich history dating back to 1878. Its building recently reopened following a seven-year refurbishment, and the theatre continues to create ground-breaking productions and empowering participatory projects, driven by a passion for engaging people and communities across Glasgow and beyond.

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