Major Performance Venues And Organisation In Brighton Seek Support To Stop Closure

Tuesday, 8 September 2020 17:36

By John Warburton @Warblefly

Brighton Dome, during Jazz Re:Fest 2019 (Photo: © John Warburton)

Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival, as a single organisation, has joined the national "Save Our Theatres" crowdfunding campaign launched today (September 8) to help prevent the permanent closure of UK performance venues.

Already, some theatres have gone into administration or have made staff redundant in an attempt to survive a financial crisis.

Officials at Brighton Dome said that, since March 2020, the location has been one among hundreds of theatres and arts venues across the country closed for live events due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But the closure came at enormous cost.

When the Dome paused operations, and Brighton Festival 2020 was cancelled, the organisation lost 67% of its self-generated income through ticket sales and events.

Even now, the 1,800 capacity Concert Hall is only able to consider vastly reduced attendances of social distanced performances.

Additionally, the Corn Exchange and Studio theatres are undergoing major refurbishment until autumn 2021.

Today, the registered arts charity announced it was asking the community to raise £25,000 in an appeal called "Bring Back Brighton Dome".

But the continued uncertainty around the timescale for large-scale live events returning meant this would be only a 10% contribution to the additional £250,000 the organisation said it needed to raise in the next year.

Andrew Comben, Chief Executive, Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival, said:

"During our closure we have received overwhelming support from our audiences, members and Patrons as well as invaluable ongoing support from Brighton & Hove City Council and emergency funding from Arts Council England.

"Our extraordinary team of staff are committed to bringing back arts and culture to our venues and are ready to reignite the work of artists who are desperate to perform to audiences again.

"But we're going to need some extra help to make this happen.

"Anyone who is able to donate to the 'Bring Back Brighton Dome' campaign will not only be supporting the city's vital arts community but they will be doing their bit to help bring back live performance to one of its most treasured spaces."

Brighton Dome officials said their crowdfunding web link was https://crowdfunder.co.uk/bringbackbrightondome

According to staff, Brighton Dome operates three venues, an annual arts festival and two music education services (Brighton & Hove Music & Arts and East Sussex Music), teaching 14,000 children across the region.

Each year Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival presents over 600 events spanning music, theatre, dance, comedy, literature, spoken word, visual arts, film, digital and more as part of its year-round programme as well as producing the internationally acclaimed Brighton Festival in May.

It's described as "the south coast's leading multi-arts venue."