Trinity Theatre hit by crisis at Christmas

Continued from front page were 60 per cent down since before the pandemic.

And though it was ‘not unusual’ for a UK arts venue’s ticket sales to drop, he added: “We don’t get any core funding and are very reliant on our patrons.”

Trajectory

Asked how the venue had come so close to the edge that the first deadline was just a week, he said the venue had wanted to proceed in an ‘orderly’ fashion with its announcement and fundraiser.

However, over the Christmas period, which featured three productions including two original works, ticket sales had ‘absolutely’ been disappointing, he acknowledged.

“Nobody could fault the effort (our former artistic director) Sean Turner made to produce three shows, and people enjoyed them.

“The New Musketeers was just perhaps not the right thing to put on at Christmas.”

Stressing that there was ‘still a benefit in offering some people something a bit different, he added:

NICK MOWAT

“It is my firm belief that Christmas is a time when you don’t mess with people.

“And they will repay you by coming in droves.”

Mr Mowat became acting chief executive at the beginning of November and said: “Fairly soon after I started asking the right questions, it became apparent to me that this was our trajectory.”

What Went Wrong And How To Save Theatre

TWEETING out its appeal for help last week (January 24), Trinity explained funding sources had dried up.

“Whilst Trinity was fortunate to receive government sponsored grants from the Arts Council during the pandemic, this has now come to an end. In previous years we received support from TWBC, but this ended in 2020,” it said. Meanwhile, the project to open Trinity’s clocktower to visitors was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which cannot be used for running costs.

However, acting chief executive Nick Mowat told the Times that April 1 this year would be a financial and artistic turning point for Trinity. Not only will it be the start of the new financial year, but the summer brochure will come out, containing a full programme until September as well as details of the Christmas production. The Autumn brochure will be out in August.

“And Christmas will be the biggest thing in the year by far.”

Cinema offerings will be expanded and a big-name artist – Tim Mead, finalist in the 2019 Sky Arts portrait artist of the year competition –will exhibit in the gallery space, alongside local artists.

Meanwhile, the corporate partner rate would increase from £2,500 a year to £3,000 and Trinity has started offering ‘lifetime memberships’ for a one-off donation of £1,000, he said.

“We have had up to 10 members take out lifetime memberships.”

He confirmed that the ‘trajectory’ was both financial and artistic, explaining: “I think the two things are intrinsically linked.”

He currently holds the roles of chief executive, marketing director and artistic director after the departure of Sean Turner at the start of January, and this combination would be central to the arts venue’s recovery.

“With all due respect to my predecessors, I look at the numbers with an artistic eye and look at the artistic side with a financial eye,” he said.

And he promised donors would be pouring funds into firm foundations, not a bottomless hole.

“We need to make sure we are operating in as robust a way as possible.”

TRINITY’S WIDER IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY

TRINITY’S positive impact goes far beyond theatre as it comes into people’s lives through art classes, wellbeing sessions and even exercise.

“There is a tremendously successful creative engagement department,” explains Nick Mowat. “For example delivering Speech Bubbles (a Kent County Council-funded programme to support children’s communication skills, confidence and wellbeing after the pandemic).

“Sometimes these big things fly slightly under the radar.

“I’ve been in the auditorium when (seated exercise session) Moving with Music is going on, and seen them bring joy to people lives. “People come here because it makes them feel good.”