The BBC has released new figures which show the UK theatre industry is thriving, despite years of funding cuts. This sounds like welcome news. But while real analysis of the real impact of austerity on the arts is welcome, the BBC’s numbers raise as many questions as they answer.
Theatres have proven to be as capable of innovating and finding efficiencies as any other business, becoming more efficient, more resourceful and more entrepreneurial — without just reverting to the safety of mass market output.
But here’s the rub – an uptick in the volume of new productions and new writing is an unreliable sign of success.
Plays aren’t cars. The cost of creating them varies wildly and simply building more isn’t necessarily reason for applause.
In theatre, a more accurate and well-rounded picture of success would include figures on audience growth – convincing more people to attend performances, and getting those who already attend to attend again. And again. On this figure the research is mainly silent.
The National’s War Horse, for example, is rightly hailed as a perfect blend of originality and commercial nous. But War Horse spent years in development before finally hitting the stage, and that not-insignificant investment in R&D was paid for by taxpayers. Whether the state is able or willing to foot the bill for such things in future is unknown.
We should be very wary of using the example of a large, subsidised London theatre successfully becoming more commercial as a model for others. How could that outcome be translated to, say, a regional theatre in Shropshire?
For smaller theatres, audience development and fundraising both remain a massive challenge. The example set by what the BBC calls the ‘best funded’ theatres could be the most significant of the study.
It would be great to know, for example, how much emphasis the best funded theatres have placed on donor outreach to high net worth individuals. Our experience shows that it can make or break fundraising campaigns, however smaller theatres have traditionally lacked the skills and tools to embrace it as a strategy. Its also worth mentioning that funding doesn’t always go directly to creating performances. There is a trend to fund theatres for education and community work.
It’s clear that the arts sector is capable of innovation and finding new sustainable models in the face of cutbacks. The BBC’s analysis however does not go deep enough.
It’s too soon to declare that our industry has successfully fought through the hard times. Too many theatres are still treading water and the growing dichotomy between the ‘premier league’ and the rest is reason enough to keep worrying.
