The show must go on – but how will theatre survive?
ARTS companies are awaiting details of the government cash to help them survive lockdown say the industry is too valuable to lose.
Yasmeen Arden is a Kensington based freelance director with her own theatre company Small Truth Theatre.
She said: “The reality is that the arts industry brings in huge amounts to the economy and so many individuals who are part of making that happen - and right now we can’t afford to lose those amazing people.”
The government’s £1.57bn cash injection includes a mix of emergency grants, loans and cash for building projects already in the pipeline.
But it seems to have come too late for some regional theatres. The curtains are not rising again at Southampton and Plymouth because of the financial crisis brought on by the pandemic.
Ms Arden’s latest show at North Kensington’s Playground Theatre was cancelled just before lockdown.
And she also runs Caravan Theatre which offers free shows in the area - attracting people who have never been to the theatre before.
“This industry has been cut year after year over the last decade and pushed to the edge,” she said.
Like many freelancers she has not been entitled to financial support during the pandemic and her teaching work has tided her over.
And she said the crisis means “we have to try and adapt and change.”
“As a working class artist myself my real concern is working class artists.”
She said it can be difficult to establish yourself and grow in the industry and people quite often juggle several jobs, which might not be possible right now with jobs in the hospitality sector disappearing.
Ms Arden stressed the value of arts “as a way to escape harsh realities but also a way to experience them too and have your stories told.”
She added that she aims to “never forget my audience is my neighbourhood”.
Some visitors to the Caravan Theatre may never have set foot in a theatre.
“It’s about joy and happiness, it’s also a way of being able to process really difficult times,” she said.
Her team is creating work to be shown digitally, as are other arts organisations, including Opera Holland Park - which has just wowed park goers who stumbled on a socially distanced filming session this weekend.
Michael Volpe, the director of Opera Holland Park said the government money will be welcome to help arts organisations stay alive.
The sector employs more than 700,000 people - with 350,000 furloughed through the emergency coronavirus funding. It also attracts millions of pounds into the economy.
Mr Volpe said Opera Holland Park alone helps generate £2.5m that visitors spend in the local economy.
He said: “I thought they would eventually do something. My concern is mainly who is going to get it.”
But he wondered how it will be distributed and stressed arts venues face big challenges in how they cope in the future.
The government has ringfenced £100m for some of the “jewels in the crown” including big London venues.
The open air opera company had cancelled this summer’s season before the government announced lockdown, saving £0.5m on building the temporary auditorium.
Mr Volpe said it helps as the company does not have to pay running costs for a building, unlike many other arts organisations.
However it paid out £300,000 to people contracted to work there including security guards, opera singers and the orchestra. But lockdown has cost £1.9m in ticket sales and the season was ready to go, the sets were paid for and the staff were looking forward to the summer season.
And Mr Volpe said with coronavirus and Brexit the arts face “big hurdles along the line.”
He added: “Our job at the moment is to keep on connecting with the community.”
It has a free ticket scheme for young people and over 65s, works with local organisations and has become more involved following the Grenfell Tower fire which claimed the life of the opera company’s Debbie Lamprell and 71 of their neighbours. And it helps local school children get their first taste of opera and a schools matinee.
“Having kids there and absolutely going mental at the end of it is something that we have missed this year,” said Mr Volpe.
And Mr Volpe said the crisis means “The whole industry has to create a more efficient model to stay alive and stay in the game.”
“This has shown how fragile we are - we have to change our models to be more resilient,” he said.
The whole industry has to create a more efficient model to stay alive and stay in the game.
ARTS COMPANIES COPING WITH COVID