We will not survive the crisis, warns city theatre
BIRMINGHAM’S museums, theatres and orchestras have issued another desperate plea for help, with the Repertory Theatre warning it “will not survive” the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown without support.
The collapse of the cultural sector will lead to 200,000 job losses across the wider West Midlands region, arts organisations warn.
They wrote to a House of Commons inquiry chaired by Solihull MP Julian Knight, which this week published a report warning that a crisis in the culture sector will lead to “mass redundancies and the permanent closure of our cultural infrastructure”.
It follows last week’s call in the Post by Birmingham Conservatoire chief Julian Lloyd Webber for a plan of action to save the arts sector.
The Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee urged the Government to extend the furlough scheme for theatres, museums and other cultural organisations. The scheme, in which the Treasury pays the salaries of staff who would otherwise be made redundant, is due to end on October 31.
Birmingham Repertory Theatre, which opened in its original premises in 1913, told the inquiry: “The REP is currently facing one of the greatest challenges in its history and its future is under threat.”
Senior technician Ross Gallagher, in a written submission to the inquiry on behalf of the theatre, said: “The REP and many other theatres across the country will not survive this pandemic unless measures are put in place to protect this socially and economically vital industry.” Theatres and other performing arts venues have been closed since
March 16. The Government has said they will be allowed a limited reopening from August, subject to the findings of pilot schemes, but it is still unclear when they will be allowed to reopen fully.
Managers also warn that even
if they are allowed to put on performances again, the number of tickets they can sell will be limited by social distancing rules and it seems unlikely that audiences will feel it is safe to attend live performances for some time.
West Midlands Culture Response Unit, which represents bodies such as the Royal Shakespeare Company, Birmingham Royal Ballet and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, told the inquiry: “Covid19 has struck the sector severely. With all theatres, galleries, museums and other venues closed completely, earned income channels have been reduced or halted completely, with organisations having to rely on reserves, grant funding and the staff retention scheme to survive.”
Erica Love, writing on behalf of the unit, told MPs: “Income losses are in high tens of millions, if not hundreds of million in the region alone, with some larger organisations losing over £3 million each month during closure.
She said: “Seventy per cent of organisations will run out of cash by the end of 2020... without intervention, job losses are likely to be over 200,000 (employed and freelancers).” If audience members are expected to remain two metres apart then most venues expect to be able to achieve about 20 per cent capacity, whilst 50-70 per cent capacity is needed to break even, she said.
And it warned: “Significant investment is required across all nine Birmingham Museums Trust sites to ensure that they are safe and secure for staff, volunteers and members of the public alike. The organisation does not have the cash resources to be able to make this level of investment and this is a major risk to the organisation.”
A paper submitted by regional theatres including Birmingham Hippodrome, Newcastle Theatre, Royal Norwich Theatre and others suggested they could survive by focusing on high-income productions such as musicals, but would be forced to ditch some of the existing work.
It said: “With pressures to cut fixed costs and drive ongoing annual costs savings, without funding intervention, our commitment to studio, artist development and community and education work is likely to be heavily eroded at best and wiped out at worst.”
70 per cent of organisations will run out of cash by the end of 2020 Erica Love of West Midlands Culture Response Unit, right