Work began in February 2009 on a project called '2010 - One Hundred Years of the Empire Theatre in Blackburn' which will encourage local people to discover the history of the building from its roots as one of the first cinemas in the UK. Chief Executive, Harriet Roberts explained that over two years the funding of £47,900 will support an education project to acknowledge the enormous contribution made by audiences, fundraisers, campaigners, restorers and volunteers.

'During our centenary we want to encourage new visitors to find out about this marvellous building,' she said, 'it's often a surprise when people who've only seen the outside of the theatre, step inside and see what a great job the fundraisers and renovation team did. The project becomes even more amazing when you hear the story of how it all happened and that's what the lottery funding will support us to learn about and tell people.'

We are looking for help to gather this information which will be presented in a variety of different ways. We need volunteers with an interest in local history to work with the Lancashire Record Office and Blackburn Community Archive to help us collate a factual history and timeline of the building against the important social historical events of the period. This is a chance to learn simple research and archiving skills by giving a couple of hours a week.'

A digital online museum will be created based on the archive of original documents.

2010 Project Leader, volunteer, Mike Johnson explained;

'We will be teaching volunteers to use simple computer skills to digitise and restore things like photographs and press cuttings and the pile of paper-based ephemera, posters and programmes which has already been donated.

Blackburn Civic Society will be creating a local history walk leaflet which will start and finish at the Empire. We will be creating a calendar of events which will include regular guided walks of the Ewood area during 2010.' We'll also be creating a commemorative history booklet and interactive CD rom to take away and keep.'

We need people to come forward with their stories and we need volunteers to record those memories using audio equipment. We will be working with North West Sound Archive to train volunteers in oral history and archival skills.

These interviews will be carried out in a variety of settings including using reminiscence boxes containing suitable artefacts and memorabilia in community centres and care settings with older people.'

Local schools and organisations are invited to contact the theatre if they are interested in being involved in a calendar of free open days, talks and theatre tours taking place during the year.

Cinema historian, Peter Worden will be organising screenings of Mitchell & Kenyon films at the theatre which will include a free performance for local school children.

Mitchell & Kenyon was a late Victorian and Edwardian film company based in Blackburn in Lancashire - hitherto best known for minor contributions to early fictional narrative film and for fake Boer War films. The Mitchell & Kenyon collection, however, consists almost entirely of actuality films commissioned by travelling fairground operators for showing at local fairgrounds or other venues across the UK. The collection was stored for many decades in two large barrels following the winding-up of the firm, and was discovered in Mill HIll in the early 1990s. The Mitchell & Kenyon Films are now being preserved by the BFI.

Resident professional theatre company, Pendle Productions have been commissioned to produce a community drama production based on the history of the Empire.

Writer and director, Tim Lince has been working in Blackburn for 22 years and is excited by the prospect of working with local performers of all ages to bring the story to life on stage. The project aims to include members of Blackburn Youth theatre working alongside experienced members of local societies including Blackburn Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Blackburn Musical Theatre Company and Blackburn Drama Club who operate from the building.

Tim said, 'The Heritage Lottery Grant is fantastic news for the theatre. This is a chance to take people back to the days of the Empire as a Cinema using reminiscence and drama alongside screen technology like video and animation. We want at least a hundred people to be involved in the development of this piece of landmark work.'

Passers by at Ewood will soon know about the forthcoming birthday as the Heritage Lottery Grant includes funding to re-brand and add to the theatre signage using the commemorative dates of the centenary and the Heritage Lottery Fund Logo. It's hoped that the increased audience activity at the theatre during the centenary will draw new audiences and help the venue raise the necessary funding to replace the roof of the theatre and adjacent arts centre.