Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and The Old Vic have announced that RBC will become the theatre's Principal Partner.

RBC has committed to sponsoring more than fifteen productions over the next three years.

This Principal Partner sponsorship will be transformative for The Old Vic and its audiences, directly enabling more artistic output and more varied programming than ever before.

Dave Thomas, CEO, RBC Capital Markets, Europe said: "RBC has a long-standing commitment to support the arts, recognizing the role it plays enhancing the communities in which we live and work. This three-year partnership builds on that commitment and is a great opportunity for us to work with the Old Vic at such an exciting time for the theatre".

RBC says its commitment to promoting world-class excellence in the arts, and to strengthening the social fabric of communities, make it an ideal partner for The Old Vic. Both partners believe in the transformative power of the arts and the importance of different groups of people coming together to share a live experience. In 2013, the RBC Foundation committed more than C$6.0 million globally to the arts.

"It's a privilege for us to be working with the Royal Bank of Canada over the next three years. Their support will enable us to continue to plan daring, eclectic and ambitious seasons with more productions than ever before, as part of my aim to mount unforgettable history-making shows in this most historic London theatre", said Matthew Warchus, The Old Vic Artistic Director Designate.

The partnership also celebrates The Old Vic's historical connections with Canada. The late Canadian businessman and philanthropist Ed Mirvish saved The Old Vic in 1982. He and his son David Mirvish ran the theatre from 1982 until 1998.

Image credit: The Old Vic On Waterloo Road at The Cut, near Waterloo station - Thomas Nugent [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons