Theatres across the UK closed without warning on March 16th, 2020, following the government’s advice to avoid gathering in public buildings. The pandemic blow on UK theatres was catastrophic.
At Stage Systems, we have gathered all of the latest research to understand the repercussions on the arts sector and how we can help bring back UK theatre. Let’s dive in.
It only took a little over a month, between March 17th and April 22nd 2020, for ticket sales to fall by 93%, resulting in a 91% drop in revenue. But it wasn’t only theatre profit that felt a hit: in the following 3 months over 15,000 were lost, meaning at least 7.8 million people missed out on incredible shows.
Fast-forward a year later, in London alone nearly 40 per cent of theatre and arts workers had been made redundant, causing over half of them to consider quitting the industry altogether because of the impact of the pandemic. Some, of course, were more affected than others, take Cirque du Soleil for example. The travelling circus performance troupe had laid off 95% of its workforce by March and stopped operating in seven countries. At the time of this article, there were still no concrete dates as to when all shows would return.
Arts Sector Post-Covid
One year on, the decline in attendance hits close to 50%. The eager return to normal life is still not enough to balance the covid financial blow. The Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre estimated losses for the sector at 230million pounds on their report a year later, and these numbers exclude freelancers, which are reckoned to represent 70% of the theatre workforce.
Theatres across the UK are beginning to open their doors once again. The social distancing measures in place mean that even indoor spaces that reopen at 50% capacity will either make a small loss or break even, at most. But the arts sector refuses to sit idly by and have chosen to get creative with their performances. Almost a third of theatre venues said they have had plans to create an outdoor performance space due to Covid even though the majority (61%) will operate at a loss.
As a leading portable staging supplier, we were hit hard in 2020 due to the pandemic. However, we started to see ingenious ways in which some of our Arts Clients were thinking outside the box. We are finding that Theatres and Arts groups in the UK have been using the time to re-evaluate their space, move performances outside, live stream events and expand their seating capacity. Some of our clients have used their time and grants to refurbish their space to align with re-opening, with increased capacity for ticket sales in which to regain lost revenue.
Angela Allen, Marketing & Sales Adviser, Stage Systems
The Show Must Go On
During the lockdown, many theatres asked for the ticket money from cancelled performances as a donation to maintain themselves, but the crisis continues. So what is next?
As a central part of UK culture, supporting theatres today is urgent and easy. Here is what you can do.
Go To Shows
The vast majority of theatre audiences put safety first and so does the sector. With easing restrictions and with a rolling list of venues and shows that have reopened following all government guidelines, if you can go see a show, you should – there is no better way to support theatres.
Pay What You Can
There is significant pressure on income for all of us due to the pandemic. Some theatres offer ‘pay what you can’ performances, where the price is up to you to decide. For example, Nottingham Playhouse, ARC in Stockton, Battersea Arts Centre scratch shows in London and Harlow Playhouse.
Donate & Volunteer
If you can’t go to the theatre, reach out to your local community to find out donation and volunteering options that can help the sector survive.
It will take time before theatres and life as we knew it before Covid-19 to return to normal. But we all want performances to come back, to be entertained, to laugh and see unbelievable shows. At Stage Systems, we are doing everything we can to support our existing Arts Customers and Prospects and keep our relationships alive with them and be there to offer friendly advice when required in what has been a really tough time for all of us.
For more information on how Stage Systems can help expand your staging and take it outdoors, contact 01509 611021.
Header image credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/red-cinema-chair-evlkOfkQ5rE
