Greenock Arts Guild Ltd was established in 1946 and has been operating as a theatre and arts centre since then. Their project is to establish a professionally managed Youth Theatre specifically aimed at young people at risk of offending – to encourage life skills such as team working, literacy and social skills, to build their sense of belonging and self-esteem. Based in Inverclyde, one of the most deprived local authority areas in Scotland, it will be an integral part of the new Beacon Arts Centre currently under construction with an aim of addressing challenging and anti-social behaviour using theatre practice. In July 2011, the Trustees of The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation agreed a one off grant towards the purchase of equipment and development and promotion of the Youth Theatre that will be run within the Beacon Arts Centre. The Trustees were pleased that, in addition to being robustly funded from various sources for the capital costs, the Greenock Arts Guild were able to prove they had guarantees of revenue support for the future management and running costs of the theatre.