Capital Theatres, Scotland’s largest theatre charity, has received £168,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support its three venues – Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre, King’s Theatre and The Studio – through this period of closure. This vital funding which will help maintain the buildings in a safe condition and address the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on these heritage properties.
This funding from the Heritage Emergency Fund will go towards covering essential costs such as electricity, gas, IT, insurance and maintenance of the theatres while they are closed. It will also go towards a small element of staff salaries for those who are responsible for ensuring the venues are secure and maintained during the closures and are making plans to safely reopen the theatres when allowed to do so.
At least 90% of Capital Theatres’ income is generated from ticket sales and trading income, meaning that the sudden closure meant an immediate loss of the two main sources of income. To date Capital Theatres has refunded 52,900 tickets with a value of over £2.5 million. The postponement of the pantomime until 2021 will result in a further £2.3 million loss of income.
Beyond its three key venues, Capital Theatres provide local community health and wellbeing benefits through an extensive programme currently adapted to run virtually, delivers a key element of Edinburgh’s year-round cultural offer for local citizens and retains 230 jobs in the city’s cultural sector
Kate Smith, director of development at Capital Theatres, said: “Capital Theatres, Scotland’s largest theatre charity, is responsible for the Festival Theatre, King’s Theatre and the Studio. When we closed our venues in March due to Covid-19 we saw a 90% reduction in our income from loss of ticket sales. This vital funding from the Heritage Emergency Fund will help maintain our buildings in a safe condition. On behalf of everyone at Capital Theatres we would like to thank National Lottery Players.”
The funding, made possible by National Lottery players, was awarded through The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Heritage Emergency Fund. Fifty million pounds was made available to provide emergency funding for those most in need across the heritage sector.
The UK-wide fund aimed to address both immediate emergency actions and help organisations to start thinking about recovery.
Ros Kerslake, chief executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Heritage has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live, supporting economic regeneration and benefiting our personal wellbeing. All of these things are going to be even more important as we emerge from this current crisis.
“Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we are pleased to be able to lend our support to organisations such as Capital Theatres during this uncertain time.”
The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Heritage Emergency Fund is now closed for applications. To find out more about how The National Heritage Emergency Fund is supporting the sector at this time, click HERE.
from News, Reviews and Features – My Theatre Mates https://ift.tt/34BdCec
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