Arts centre losing £250,000 every month during Covid pandemic
A popular arts venue – temporarily shut as part of the UK lockdown – has been ‘brought back from the brink’ thanks to a campaign which has so far raised more than £45,000. Bronte Howard reports
ACARDIFF arts venue has revealed it has lost about £250,000 in earned income every month during the pandemic.
Chapter Arts Centre, which closed to the public on March 17, said it has been “particularly vulnerable during the pandemic”.
It generates 82% of its own income, with public subsidy representing just under 18% of turnover.
However, the Save Chapter campaign has raised more than £45,000 and brought it “back from the brink of insolvency”. Organisers are continuing to work towards reopening in the autumn.
In its latest update last Thursday, a spokesman for Chapter, in Market Road, Canton, said: “Collectively this has helped ensure Chapter’s survival and brought us back from the brink of insolvency, a very real possibility during the months of May and June.
“The many individual donations we received and continue to receive from you, £5, £8, £10, etc, now total in excess of £45,000.
“The actual cash has been immensely important and just as valuable has been the story as we have been able to clearly demonstrate the desire from our community to support Chapter and ensure our survival.
“That has been an incredibly strong lobbying narrative that we have used extensively.”
Chapter also said it has taken advantage of public support schemes, including the furlough scheme, which saw 95% of its employees furloughed.
The arts centre opened in Canton in 1971 and hosts films, plays, and live music alongside a cafe and bar.
Chapter has said it hopes to reopen later this year, despite lockdown restrictions meaning some parts of the venue cannot reopen.
A spokesman for the centre said: “We have announced our intention to reopen in the autumn and will confirm the actual opening date in the next few weeks.
“There is a lot to put in place to ensure that we can open safely and in a manner that gives you, our customers, the confidence to return to Chapter, not just once, but many times.
“We also need to have a programme in place, and this will be released at the same time as we announce our reopening date.
“The initial programme will not be quite as extensive as pre-lockdown, but we are sure you will find it interesting, stimulating and more than enough to satisfy your respective arts-starved appetites.
“We look forward to welcoming you back into our gallery and cinema soon.
“Our cafe bar will be open and our rehearsal rooms, workshop spaces and dance studios will also be operational and we’re happy to say that our studios have been open to our creative community for some time already.”