Hyde Park Picture House Fundraising Campaign is Under Way

The Picture House’s redevelopment has been going on for seven months now, and a community fundraising campaign has been launched to cover the final costs of completion.

The Picture House Winter Fundraiser asks for help from sponsors for specific areas of conservation work, such as the restoration of the Grade II listed lamppost. In recognition of people’s generosity, there are limited edition rewards which include decorative tiles, pin badges and prints.

In 2018, the cinema was awarded a £2.6million National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, although the project has always needed to raise additional match-funding, which has increased in recent months due to the impact of COVID-19 on the scheme. Match-funding contributions have been made from Leeds City Council, the Garfield Weston Foundation and others, so now it’s hoped the Leeds community will help with the final costs.

Audiences can, for example, help support repair work needed to the Picture Hose’s iconic facade. Made from marmo faience tiles from the historic Leeds Fireclay Company – otherwise known as Burmantofts Pottery – the façade is showing signs of deterioration due to underlying structural problems. By sponsoring the façade, supporters will help the cinema repair broken tiles as well as fix the underlying issues to prevent further damage from occurring. As a thank you, sponsors will receive a limited-edition handmade decorative tile – inspired by the facade and produced in collaboration with Leeds-based ceramics workshop, Sunken Studio. 

Auditorium

The cinema is also launching a new Sponsor a Seat initiative, to help towards the cost of reseating its main auditorium. There is also the unique opportunity to be a sole sponsor of one of the cinema’s nine gas lights, or two 35mm projectors. Sponsors will be invited to an exclusive Relighting Reception before the cinema re-opens.

Wendy Cook, Head of Cinema at the Hyde Park Picture House:  “For over a century our wonderful community has ensured this little Picture House has remained open when so many other cinemas in Leeds have sadly closed. We’re truly humbled by the support we’ve received so far, and hope that at this crucial time in the cinema’s history, our community can play an important role once again by joining this campaign and helping us complete this once in a lifetime project.” 

Mark Johnston, Project Architect at Page\Park:  “Since we began working with the cinema in 2016, we’ve come to learn why this Edwardian Picture House is cherished by so many in Leeds and beyond. As architects who specialise in the conservation and refurbishment of heritage buildings, our aim, every step of the way, is to preserve the cinema’s important history and character. By supporting this exciting campaign, you’ll help us to do exactly that.” 

Gas light

Hyde Park Picture House has never reached out to the community for donations before, but the opening in summer 2022 is looming large and time is running out, faster than anticipated and largely owing to the Covid restrictions. So if you’re an audience member, a lover of heritage buildings and particularly those in Leeds, please find out how to donate by visiting:

www.hydeparkpicturehouse.co.uk/winter-fundraiser 

Photography by Tom Morris.

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