Spanish language theatre shuts due to financial challenges

A Spanish language theatre in London has closed due to “a lack of financial support".

Performing in English and Spanish, the Cervantes Theatre showcased works by Spanish and South American artists. Since opening in Southwark in 2016, the venue has staged over 100 events, including theatre productions and concerts, and has been attended by over 11,000 Spanish students.

The company’s founders and directors, Jorge de Juan and Paula Paz, announced on 11 September that the 100-seat performance space “has to close its doors due to lack of financial support” with immediate effect. 

They said: “We have worked endlessly, we have lifted this project on our shoulders. Unfortunately, it has not been enough.

“The Cervantes Theatre needed fundamental institutional support that fell through. Like many other cultural institutions in the United Kingdom, we are in such a fragile state that any change or delay in funding can be deadly.”

In its most recent accounts, the Spanish Theatre Company, the charity that ran the Cervantes Theatre, said it “heavily relies” on public grants to fund its operations, mostly received from public bodies associated with the Spanish government. 

The accounts noted: “Given the climate of political instability in Spain, there is a concern among trustees and directors regarding the likelihood of receiving these grants from the Spanish government in 2024, and their timing. This represents a material uncertainty that casts significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.”

In 2022, the charity’s income from charitable activities totalled £62,063, derived entirely from Arts Council England, but it received nothing from the funding body in 2023, reporting a drop in grant income to £37,156.