MARBLEHEAD — The Massachusetts Cultural Council in partnership with MassDevelopment has awarded a $70,000 Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF) matching capital grant to Marblehead Little Theatre.
MLT will use these funds for necessary interior and exterior re-pointing of the historic firehouse theater on School Street. Built 130 years ago and commissioned as a firehouse in 1891, MLT’s masonry brick construction is fully original and in significant need of repair.
This grant means that MLT will need to raise a matching amount of $70,000 in donations from both public and private sources, resulting in $140,000 for the project.
Noting that cultural organizations are important to the vibrancy and strength of the local economy and to the commonwealth overall, MLT President Julie Menard said, “MLT is thrilled about this grant and we extend our gratitude to Gov. Charlie Baker for supporting the Cultural Facilities Fund and the Mass Cultural Council. We also thank the greater-Marblehead community for supporting the arts and helping to keep MLT in the business of making live theater and offering theater education that is accessible for all.”
Repairing the brick masonry is the last phase in MLT’s building preservation. Since 2000 when MLT purchased this historic building from the town of Marblehead, the group has completely renovated the building, converting it to a flexible black box theater. Prior renovations include new roofing, structural support columns, electric, plumbing, heating and air conditioning systems, tower window reconstruction, elevator installation, ADA compliance and the installation of state of the art theater lighting and sound systems.
In the next few weeks, the MLT website (mltlive.org) and its social media pages will post detailed information about how the public can make donations and how funds will be raised for the required one-to-one match for this vital facility project.
