Theatres Trust is leading a national initiative to prevent the permanent closure of hundreds of UK theatres.

Prolonged closure and uncertainty has put the country’s theatres in real jeopardy. Theatres Trust is the charity that works to protect all of the UK’s wonderful theatres, which bring so much joy to audiences and sit at the heart of their communities.

"Where are we without our theatres? Our lives are greyer and our spirits poorer.  May they open their doors soon and let some light back into our lives" Alan Ayckbourn, playwright and director

Please donate to our campaign so we can support more theatres or make a donation to your favourite local theatre.

Why are we crowdfunding?

Theatres across the country are in grave danger of permanent closure due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Your donations will be used to:

• support our work offering free advice to all of the UK’s 1,100 theatres to help them survive the crisis
• fund more grants through our new Theatre Reopening Fund helping theatres with the costs of preparing to reopen their buildings
• enable us to continue our vital day to day work even though we as a charity are experiencing income losses

Typical costs that theatres will face to adapt their buildings which we support through our grants include:

• Alterations to doors/fitting with electromagnetic door hold open devices £5,000
• Covid-19 risk assessment to undertake £5,000
• Sensor control taps/flush systems £4,000
• E-ticketing equipment for paperless tickets to avoid contact £3,000
• Sanitisation stations £2,000
• Installation of Perspex screens £1,000

Support for the campaign

Theatres Trust Ambassadors are backing our campaign including leading playwright and director Alan Ayckbourn and acclaimed actor Jude Law who says:

"Growing up I was fortunate to be taken to theatres regularly and this was where my love of acting first began. To this day nothing beats the magic of live performance and the connection between audience and performer.  But coronavirus has simply devastated our theatre sector. Communities across the UK are in real danger of losing their theatres forever and we risk losing a precious part of national culture and heritage. Theatres are a vital community hub that bring joy to millions of people each year and we must try and save these theatres for generations to come.  As a Theatres Trust Ambassador I’m delighted to support the Save Our Theatres campaign, which is raising valuable funds to support theatres throughout the country. Please do give whatever you can to support this campaign".

About Theatres Trust

Theatres Trust is the national advisory body for theatres. We champion the future of live performance, by protecting and supporting excellent theatre buildings which meet the needs of their communities. Last year more than 5 million people attended a theatre that had benefited from our support. 

Covid-19 represents an existential crisis for theatres and we are the only organisation that offers support to all of the UK’s 1,100 theatres, whether they are professional or amateur, commercial or charities, historic or new.

We believe that current and future generations should have access to good quality theatres where they can be inspired by, and enjoy, live performance. Support our work so we can continue to protect the UK’s wonderful theatres for everyone.

About Save Our Theatres

In villages, towns and cities across the country, theatres are at the heart of their community. Places to come together, to be inspired and be entertained. Theatres are where our best-loved actors learn their craft and thousands of others learn valuable skills. 

But we risk losing this forever.

Theatres saw their main source of income disappear in an instant when they closed in March in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Six months later, we still don’t know when they will be able to reopen fully. A decision won’t be made until November at the earliest – too late for most to put on their annual pantomime, which often provides the income to support the theatre for the rest of the year.

This ongoing uncertainty puts theatres in a perilous situation. The government’s bailout is spread across all cultural organisations and certainly won’t be enough to save all of the UK’s theatres.

Every day theatres are facing the tough decision to make staff redundant and to close their doors until next year. And there is a real risk that those closures could be permanent. 

Without urgent support, we could lose our nation’s amazing theatres. Please help us to make sure our theatres survive this crisis and will be there to be enjoyed by future generations.

#SaveOurTheatres 

Please donate, share this page widely and do what you can to help us to make sure our theatre survive this crisis.