Arts bailout is good news but curtain will fall on many venues warn bosses
THEATRE CHIEFS SAY CASH MUST BE HANDED OUT FAST
THEATRES across Greater Manchester have issued a collective sigh of relief after the stricken sector was thrown a lifeline by the government.
But leaders say it has come too late for many establishments and warned they are ‘fast running out of time.’
On Sunday, culture secretary Oliver Dowden announced a rescue package worth £1.57bn for the UK’s struggling arts sector.
It’s hoped the money will support theatres, museums, galleries and heritage sites, with Boris Johnson describing the UK’s cultural industry as ‘the beating heart of this country.’
The news comes after weeks of stark warnings from industry experts, with one local theatre director saying it could take generations for theatres to recover.
The curtains have been down at venues since late
March, with still no clear date for when live audiences will be welcomed back.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak will confirm the expenditure tomorrow.
The fund has been described as a ‘lifeline’ and a ‘positive step’ for the industry, though questions still remain as to whether the money will be enough to save the sector, with many venues already reducing staffing.
Last week, Manchester institution the Royal Exchange Theatre announced that 65 per cent of its permanent jobs are at risk as it enters a redundancy process.
A JustGiving page has already been set up to try and save the venue, raising almost £10,000 in just five days.
The theatre said the government’s rescue package was ‘hugely welcome’ in a tweet yesterday, adding: “We are grateful for such a major industry-wide investment and look forward to seeing the detail of this package.”
The Lowry’s boss has urged the government to distribute the funds quickly, warning that it is already too late for many.
Julia Fawcett OBE added: “While we await precise details of the funding mechanisms, I would remind Government that the priority now must be to get these much-needed funds to the organisations most at risk – and fast.”
Stressing the importance of theatre for communities, Oldham Coliseum’s artistic director Chris Lawson said: “Not only does the arts contribute over £10bn to the economy, experiencing and participating in art and creativity is so beneficial for wellbeing and will continue to be more important than ever in these times.”
One theatre that never got the chance to welcome audiences was 53Two, which was in the middle of developing a new theatre on Watson Street after development forced it to leave its original home. The independent venue had to pause its building works to make way for the NHS Nightingale hospital.
Simon Naylor, its artistic director, said: “There are still battles to be fought; thousands of freelance workers have had furlough removed – can this fund help them?”
The boss of HOME, the arts centre on First Street that has a cinema, art gallery and restaurant as well as a theatre within it, Dave Moutrey said: “As the UK moves towards recovery, the incredibly talented people who work both in front of and behind the scenes will be crucial. We hope this announcement will mean they will have an industry to return to.”
Night time economy adviser for Greater Manchester Sacha Lord said: “The arts sector has waited too long to hear this news, and these emergency grants and loans will come as a lifeline to many.”