London’s Park Theatre has launched a new fund aimed at securing the future of the venue while theatres remain closed during the COVID-19 crisis.
Announced by artistic director Jez Bond, the setting up of the Park Life fund follows Bond’s own fundraising efforts which raised £300,000 from key donors in 48 hours.
The money raised so far is the minimum amount needed to keep the theatre running during lockdown period on a skeleton staff while making use of the Government’s job retention scheme to keep all other staff on the payroll. The funds ensure the building remains functional and stops the theatre from liquidating.
Paying tribute to the Park’s supporters, Bond said: “I’m humbled by the outpouring of support from our donors. Many of them are local and many have engaged with the theatre since the early days – but some are from further afield and have a relatively new association: yet each has been acutely understanding of the problem we face and incredibly generous at a time when things are tough for everybody. There is still some way to go and we are grateful for your support however large or small.”
As a small charity with no regular or Arts Council funding, the closure of all theatres has led to a catastrophic loss of income for the popular Finsbury Park venue.
The £300,000 raised to date has provided a lifeline for the venue, but with no end in sight yet for the lifting of the rules on social gatherings, the theatre will need at least £100,000 to enable the Park to reopen.
Money donated to the Park Life Fund will be used to cover the preparation work needed before the Park can welcome paying audiences back into their theatres. The Park team has estimated that if they are able to open the doors by September the funds already raised will allow the venue to retain production funds along with the reserves they have built up over the past seven years. Any longer delays will put a considerable strain on finances and would have a severe effect on the venue’s ability to self-produce.
Funds raised will also cover the cost of paying skeleton staff and covering building and administration costs.
If you are able to donate to the Park Life Fund visit www.parktheatre.co.uk/support-us/park-life-fund.
Angela Thomas
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