An innovative St Albans theatre company has been awarded a grant from the government's COVID-19 recovery fund.

Creatives at OVO and The Maltings Theatre have been awarded cash from the latest round of the £1.57billion Culture Recovery Fund.

The second round of awards announced today – Good Friday, April 2 – is designed to help organisations plan for reopening and recovery after months of closures and cancellations.

"I'm absolutely thrilled that our application to the Arts Council England Culture Recovery Fund has been successful,” said Adam Nichols, artistic director of OVO and The Maltings Theatre.

“This much-appreciated grant provides vital support for us to continue the work we’ve been doing – particularly over the last, challenging year or so – and enables us to plan our autumn/winter season 2021 and our programming plans for 2022 with renewed confidence."

Based in St Albans, OVO has been presenting work at The Maltings Theatre online and live during the pandemic, and at other venues in the district, including The Alban Arena and outdoors at the Roman Theatre of Verulamium.

The organisation is among more than 2,700 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the fund.

Of the grant, Adam Nichols added: “It will also enable us to progress with our plans to widen our audience reach with an even broader spectrum of productions and to connect and work with more organisations in the Hertfordshire area.

"We will also be able to offer more work to local creative talent and to attract a wider range of theatrical professionals to work with us.

"It’s very exciting and I’m very grateful to Arts Council England for approving our application.”

Adam is currently rehearsing productions to be staged outdoors at the Roman Theatre from May 28 to July 11.

The richly diverse programme includes Peter Pan and Shakespeare’s The Winter's Tale and The Comedy of Errors.

The Roman Theatre Open Air Festival will also host productions by Charles Court Opera and a number of local music and theatre production companies. Tickets go on sale on April 6.

The cash awarded today is from a £400 million pot which was held back last year to ensure the Culture Recovery Fund could continue to help organisations in need as the public health picture changed.

The funding has been awarded by Arts Council England, as well as Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute.

Culture Secretary and Hertsmere MP Oliver Dowden said: “Our record-breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they've ever faced.

"Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors – helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead."