The tickets for a range of live shows will be available for young people under 26 over a two year period. The scheme, which starts this February, is aimed at attracting younger audiences to the theatre.

The Nuffield’s Director Matt Fenton said: “We are really pleased to be working with the Dukes to attract local young people to our programmes, and to help establish regular theatre-going as part of young people's lives. The great thing about the scheme is that it allows young people to make repeated visits and really develop their tastes and opinions. Between us, The Dukes and Nuffield Theatres offer an experience of every kind of theatrical performance, from established texts and new writing, to physical theatre, devised work and installations."

The national free theatre scheme is supported by £2.5 million additional funding to the Arts Council’s core grant from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Attendance at arts events traditionally drops in the 18-26 age range and so this initiative is specifically targeted at young adults and their families. The scheme is designed to reach new audiences and develop a new generation of theatre-goers.

Joe Sumsion, Director of The Dukes Theatre, said he was delighted with the scheme.

“We know that when people get a taste for live theatre they often come back again and again. This scheme gives us the chance, working with our colleagues at the Nuffield Theatre, to offer thousands of young people the chance to see great theatre in Lancaster at no cost to themselves.”

Arts Council England, North West's Interim Executive Director, Aileen McEvoy said: "We want young people to grow up with a strong sense of the possibilities the arts give them. The free theatre offer is an exciting new step in that journey.

The scheme will be launched nationwide on February 16th and a website set up to provide details of all participating organisations and direct links to book free tickets.