An additional £2.5m of funding for the King’s Theatre in Tollcross has been announced as part of Finance Secretary Shona Robison’s 2026-27 budget.
The iconic Edwardian facade of the theatre has been hidden under renovations for longer than the majority of readers will have been living in Edinburgh; but Capital Theatres, which also operates the Festival and Studio theatres, hopes this will close the final funding gap needed to complete the renovations.
This means that the theatre will be put firmly on track to reopen in summer 2026 after a postponement of the previous target of 2025.
The Edinburgh landmark is home to Scottish Ballet and the annual Christmas pantomime, which have temporarily been housed in Festival Theatre since the refurbishments.
The reopening will mark the return of a cultural institution to the city’s general and student populations, as well as the reinstation of an important venue to the Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival and international festivals.
Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, has been lobbying for the funding. He said: “I know how important the King’s Theatre is to the local community and people.”
He continued:
“The redeveloped King’s Theatre, with its new café, social spaces and accessible facilities, will give a much-needed financial boost to the Tollcross area of Edinburgh and be a welcoming and inclusive space for all.”
However, Balfour has also stated that a small amount of additional funding which Capital Theatre is seeking out including in the form of public donations is needed for final touches of the interior.
Image by Greg Macvean, provided as press material