Pay It Forward
Northern Stage is the region’s only mid-scale producing theatre, producing and co-producing plays; running talent development programmes for artists in the region; and delivering young people’s projects to inspire the next generation of theatre-makers. But did you know that we are a registered charity?
What is Pay It Forward?
The proceeds of our Pay It Forward appeal helps us to offer free or heavily subsidised tickets to our shows, workshop places and bursaries to community groups and young people who may otherwise be unable to attend.
Thanks to generous donations from audiences, Members, Supporters, Business Club partners and funders, we raised over £18,000 for Pay It Forward in 2025. This year, we’re ambitious to raise even more – and you can help us!
Why do we run the Pay It Forward appeal?
Our Pay It Forward appeal helps us to engage with individuals and groups in the community who may be facing barriers to accessing the arts. This could include financial barriers and lack of opportunities.
In the North East, rates of child poverty are some of the highest in the country (North East Child Poverty Commission). Growing up in poverty can have many effects on children’s mental and physical health. It can mean facing barriers to engagement in arts and culture in the North East, as well as difficulty accessing local training and skills development.
We believe in the power of theatre as a tool for change. It can bring communities together, positively impact our wellbeing, help us to understand the world we live in, provoke curiosity and inspire creativity.
We want to make the arts accessible for all, and our Pay It Forward appeal helps us to share the magic of theatre.
How can I donate?
Here at Northern Stage, we have lots of ways to donate to our Pay It Forward appeal, including:
Online Donations
Whether you’re purchasing tickets to one of our shows or events or simply wish to donate to our appeal, you can donate on our website. You will be able to select from the options displayed or enter a specific amount.
Donate at our Donation Stations
We have two donation stations which accept contactless payments in our theatre which are located outside of Stage 1 and Stage 2.
To donate, select the amount of money you wish to give – £10, £15, or £20 (if you’d like to donate more, you can do as many transactions as you like!). You will then be prompted to tap your card on the contactless reader which is marked with the contactless symbol and you’ll see a payment confirmation on the display screen.
Alternatively, QR codes can be found on our Pay It Forward banners located next to our donation stations. You can donate by scanning the code with your phone and paying online.
Call our Box Office team
You can call our Box Office team to donate over the phone. Box Office opening hours are:
12pm – 4pm, Mon – Fri.
Cash Buckets
During some shows, our wonderful Front of House team will have cash buckets so you can donate cash following the performance.
By Joining us as a Supporter
Passionate about theatre? Become a Supporter and help us to make an impact in the region as we engage communities and young people in the arts whilst enjoying the benefits of Members plus much more!
By Supporting us as a Trust or Foundation
Funding from trusts and foundations is vital for us to continue to deliver the very best theatre, community projects and talent development opportunities and helps us to plan for our future.
To find out more about how you can support our work as a trust or foundation, please contact Alison Cleland, Development Manager at acleland@northernstage.co.uk or call 0191 241 2069.
We want to thank those who have kindly supported our Pay It Forward appeal, including trusts and foundations: The Hoult Family Trust, R.W. Mann Trust, Sir Graham Wylie Foundation, The Barbour Foundation, Joseph Strong Frazer Trust; as well as Ward Hadaway, Karbon Homes, Hoults Yard, MHL and all of our generous donors and supporters, whose regular donations help to ensure that we can continue to offer such an important scheme alongside our other young people’s and community projects that help make the arts more accessible.