Lightbox arts venue saved by troubled council with three-year funding extension

A "REALLY special" Surrey art venue, which has brought 1.5 million people through its doors, including 500,000 schoolchildren, will stay open after Woking Borough Council agreed a three-year funding extension - albeit at a greatly reduced rate.

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The money will help The Lightbox and its Woking Museum and Arts and Craft Centre operators keep going through to its 20th anniversary in 2027, and beyond.

The council previously gave The Lightbox £425,000 in 2022/23, but that will fall to £150,000 in 2025/26 - reducing by £25,000 a year through to 2027/28.

The 2024/25 grant payment of £130,000 was funded via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The council ruled out cutting all funding as it would have meant The Lightbox became unviable and close, papers presented to the September executive committee read.

The move has been welcomed by The Lightbox gallery director Sarah Brown as it will keep the borough's "valuable asset" afloat.