£1.5bn arts rescue package gets mixed reviews as theatres are likely to stay shut
Relief at bail-out is swiftly followed by shock after Culture Secretary says reopening is some way off
LEADING theatre figures including Andrew Lloyd Webber have demanded a timetable for reopening after the Culture Secretary told those hoping to stage shows before Christmas: “Don’t get your hopes up.”
Relief at the announcement of a £1.56 billion rescue package for the arts was swiftly followed by dismay when Oliver Dowden said the relaxation of social distancing rules was “some way off ”.
Whitehall sources said funding would “start to flow to organisations in the autumn”, with only a small amount made available for short-term support – meaning thousands of theatre jobs could be lost in the interim.
“Great to see the Government support the arts but what we really need is for the UK’S theatres to open safely as soon as practically possible,” Lord Lloyd-webber said.
Sir Cameron Mackintosh also welcomed the package but said: “It is now critical that we are given immediate guidance on when social distancing will be phased out so we can make firm plans to reopen.”
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Dowden said reopening in the next few months would be challenging.
Nica Burns, the West End producer and co-owner of Nimax theatres, said she was shocked by his comments.
“In all the discussions we’ve been having, saying it would be a challenge to open this year by Christmas was not what we expected. I take ‘challenge’ to mean ‘no’. The critical thing is for us to be open and earning,” she said.
Mr Dowden visited the London Palladium on Thursday, where Lord Lloydwebber was conducting Covid-19 safety trials, which he hoped would lead to early reopening. Measures included face masks and monitoring the temperature of the audience via thermal imaging.
But Mr Dowden said these “mitigations” had to be weighed up against other factors. He added that pantomimes, a major revenue earner for regional theatres, were unlikely to go on this year.
“You’ve got [audience members] from granny to grandchild, kids shouting and screaming … all of those represent huge transmission risks,” he said.
The rescue package includes £270million in loans and £880million in grants for England. Who receives what and how much will be decided with the help of bodies including Arts Council England. Details on how to apply for funding will be made available “in the coming weeks”.
Jo Stevens, Labour’s shadow culture spokesman, said: “The Government needs to explain how they’ve calculated this sum and over what period of time.
“When the announcement was made we said this money needs to get to those theatres and other organisations currently teetering on the brink and fast – especially those across the towns and small cities where live performance venues and other arts organisations are so valuable to local economies providing many interdependent jobs, particularly in hospitality.
“At the end of this the buildings will still be standing but it could take years to recover the lost talent.”
Critics pointed out that only £50million of the £160million in Arts Council England funding announced at the start of the crisis in April had been allocated.
Adrian Vinken, chief executive of the Theatre Royal in Plymouth, said it was “impossible to say” if the announcement would be enough to prevent up to 100 job losses there until more details were released.
Julia Fawcett, chief executive of the Lowry in Salford, warned “that the priority now must be to get these muchneeded funds to the organisations most at risk – and fast.
“In doing so, they can help save programmes of work and thousands of jobs across our sector that will otherwise fall victim to Covid.”
There was also concern that the cash was being targeted at venues rather than freelancers, while smaller venues facing the prospect of no audiences for the rest of the year due to social distancing might be put off bidding for money which was only available in loans.