A new life for historic theatres

There is an incredible learning curve for any group wanting to bring a theatre back to life. While there is some good advice available for groups interested in restoring historic buildings, most notably from the Princes Trust and the Architectural Heritage Fund, there is little that is theatre-specific.

At the Theatres Trust we provide advice and guidance and publish an annual Theatres at Risk Register as a way of raising awareness about significant theatre buildings at risk of decay, demolition or closure.

We quite often act as a critical friend to challenge their assumptions about the realistic potential for successful theatre use

We work with owners, local authorities and supporters to find a viable long-term future for these buildings. In many cases this also involves working with supporter groups from the local community who are advocates for the theatre and who very often want to take on its ownership.

Part of what we offer is a series of one-day workshops to address the key challenges and issues. We bring in expertise from a network of supporters and trustees, and provide up-to-date best practice case studies.

The final workshop in the last series called ‘A new life for heritage theatres’ specifically addressed the needs of those who are at an early stage in a project. Attendees included representatives from theatres in Morecambe, Burnley, Dudley and Spilsby, as well as Swansea and Kirkcaldy.

Governance and funding

Identifying an appropriate governance structure is the first step any campaign group should consider, as it is key to being able to apply for funding and receive grants.

At the recent workshop we were joined by Chris Quirk from the Shanklin Theatre and Community Trust on the Isle of Wight. It’s a Grade II listed theatre that came close to demolition, but is now a thriving theatre, operated and supported by a large number of volunteers.

Chris spoke about how the group put considerable thought into their structure to enable them to both own the theatre and successfully operate it. He also explained how we had provided support to the campaign group and in particular supported the theatre’s statutory listing that offered it protection from demolition.

Step two for any campaign group is to understand the building. These theatres are often listed buildings that have to be developed into performance spaces suitable for modern standards of production and audience comfort. A feasibility study to identify opportunities for development is often done alongside a conservation study to demonstrate the building’s significance. Both are essential for funders.

Achieving funding in the early stages of a project is a big challenge for many groups. Many of them can’t develop the project to the point at which they can successfully apply for funding without professional assistance, but then they can’t afford professional assistance without funding.

The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) can provide funding at this early stage. We most recently worked with the AHF on the Brighton Hippodrome, where we initially led on the development of a stakeholder group to identify a future way forward for this derelict Grade II* theatre. The Brighton Hippodrome CIC is now leading on the project and has already secured additional funding from the Coastal Communities Fund and a development grant from Heritage Lottery Fund.

Realistic business plans

What Brighton Hippodrome demonstrated is that with many theatre restoration projects considerable thought needs to be given at an early stage to identifying a practicable end use. This is where a viability study and a business plan come in. This can be a real challenge – especially for groups who are passionate about the building and its architecture but have little or no knowledge of operating a theatre.

We quite often act as a critical friend to challenge their assumptions about the realistic potential for successful theatre use. We often advise that groups seek support from an arts consultant who can help develop a realistic business plan.

We have three advisers ourselves offering support and advocacy to theatres and theatre supporters on a range of subjects. We also provide feedback on feasibility studies, architectural design and business plans and provide specific advice to local authorities.

Rebecca Morland is Theatres Adviser at the Theatres Trust.
www.theatrestrust.org.uk
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The Theatres Trust celebrates its 40th anniversary this year with a new strategy and visual identity. As part of the anniversary celebrations it is holding Conference 16: Protecting Theatres at the New London Theatre in London on Tuesday 21 June. #livetheatre