Polka Theatre Marks 30 Years of Curtain Up! with 9,000 Free Tickets for Schools

Polka Theatre is celebrating 30 years of its Curtain Up! programme by offering 9,000 free theatre tickets to schoolchildren during the 2025–26 academic year. Launched in 1994 with support from The Vivien

Duffield Foundation, the scheme has now given over 76,000 free tickets to schools across more than 20 boroughs.

Aimed at children who face barriers to accessing live performance, Curtain Up! provides many with their first-ever theatre experience at Polka’s dedicated children’s venue in Merton. The scheme also includes travel subsidies, post-show Q&As, and classroom resources linked to the performances.

Executive Director Lynette Shanbury said, “A positive experience for a young child will set the tone for their relationship with theatre for the rest of their life… we must keep making this possible.”

Curtain Up! continues to be supported by The Garek Trust and other donors, helping schools facing financial and staffing challenges to take part.

More information is available at polkatheatre.com.