Prime minister announces `Studio Theatre Scheme' for performing arts groups

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is also the minister of culture, today announced a `Studio Theatre Scheme', to help performing arts groups build their own performing spaces.

Under the scheme, the ministry of culture will provide financial support to theatre groups to address the problem of non-availability of performing spaces.

This will give a much needed helping hand to our artistes and allow them to concentrate on creative expression, the Prime minister said while announcing the scheme.

Under the scheme, performing arts groups would get government funding support of up to 60 per cent of the project cost of building their own "creative spaces."

The grant from the ministry of culture could go up to Rs50 lakh in 'metro cities' and Rs25 lakh in other places, provided the performing arts groups contribute 40 per cent of the project cost.

The move is intended to help serious theatre, which thrives on the support of smaller but more appreciative audiences. "Small, non-proscenium rehearsal-cum-performance spaces, which can accommodate 100 to 200 viewers, is what the contemporary theatre most requires," a government release said.