The Belgrade Theatre Trust is a registered charity (number 219163). This means that all the money given, raised or earned is not distributed as profit but kept and reinvested in the work that we do. We are reliant on the valued support of our donors and sponsors to ensure that we can continue to develop our artistic and educational work and remain central to the communities that we serve. This review will hopefully give you a flavour of the exciting work that we do at the Belgrade, but for more information please visit www.belgrade.co.uk/support-us
Arts and Culture Funding
In the last edition of Theatre Matters, we thanked all those who had supported the Belgrade, during 201415, helping to raise over £160,000 in donations and sponsorship. As a registered charity, it is important that we acknowledge the positive impact your support has upon the theatre and the communities it serves. However, as highlighted in the latest blog from our Executive Director, Joanna Reid, we are entering ‘Dangerous Times for Arts and Culture’.
“At the beginning of the summer two major reports came out that trumpeted the economic value of arts and culture to the UK economy. Recently we’ve published our own Annual Report which is necessarily upbeat and positive, broadcasting how successful we are at producing and presenting a vibrant, varied and quality offering of theatre and community arts activities to our City and Region.We are a business in the business of being seen to be successful so that we will continue to attract customers and funders. Despite the very big cuts already received across arts and culture, Government are intimating yet more cuts are coming, of between 25% and 40% via the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), and also another round of cuts to Local Authority (LA) spending.The cuts to LA spending are a double whammy for arts organisations outside London who usually receive funding from their LA (For some reason London local authorities do not invest in arts and culture. Odd that). If you care about you, your family and your friends having access to quality arts and culture in your city and region; if want your City to be a place that buzzes with entertainment and excitement and attracts businesses to the locale, please write to your MP today. Please tell him or her that arts and culture must be protected in the current Comprehensive Spending Review.That it makes economic sense to protect that funding. And more importantly, that arts and cultural organisations make a place worth living and working in.” For the full blog post, published on Wednesday, 7 October 2015, please visit: http://www.belgrade.co.uk/news-and-blogs/blogs/dangerous-times-for-arts-and-culture
Making Memories – musical roses
As highlighted in the last edition of Theatre Matters, we have now launched our Making Memories campaign – as a visit the theatre at Christmas is a magical experience and often a treasured memory. However, for many families in need across Coventry and Warwickshire, making those memories is not always possible – due to financial hardship or illness. Therefore, in partnership with Coventry Foodbank, the campaign aims to provide 400 tickets to our Pantomime – Beauty and the Beast - offering families quality time together and the opportunity to reduce the sense of isolation that some people feel this time of year. The campaign aims to help 100 families and, as a thank you to our kind donors, a “leaf” will be placed on each purple rose hanging in the foyer of the Belgrade Theatre, every time the campaign raises enough to support a family. The 100 roses are displayed (left to right of the entire window, top row then the bottom row) as if each bud is a note of a well-known Christmas Carol. Can you guess which one? Look out on our website and social media platforms for further details of our ‘Making Memories Musical Mystery’ competition. To find out more, please visit www.belgrade.co.uk/memories
Key Dates for your diary ê
Coventry and Warwickshire Tourism and Culture Award Success! We are absolutely thrilled to have been awarded the title of ‘Best Venue – Music, Arts and Theatre’ at the first, annual Coventry and Warwickshire Tourism awards 2015. The event, organised by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and Quidem, which owns Touch FM stations and Rugby FM, took place at the Ricoh Arena on Thursday, September 24 and featured representatives from over 50 of the region’s top tourist destinations including pubs, restaurants, theatres, art galleries, museums and stately homes.
2 November - Panto Meet & Greet as part of our Friends ‘Page to Stage’ event ê 9 November - Directors’ Club member night (for prospects) at The Mousetrap ê 24 November - Panto Dress Rehearsal: Friends ‘Page to Stage’ event ê 27 November - Panto VIP Night: Friends ‘Page to Stage’ event ê 1 December - Giving Tuesday: global campaign asking people to give to charity ê 8 December - VIP and Directors’ Club night for our alternative Christmas show Vampomime In order to keep up to date with our news, events and development activity, we not only produce Newsletters for our Friends and Directors’ Club members – with details of new shows, priority booking, special ‘behind the scenes’ events and members benefits - but you can also see what we have achieved on our website blog ‘Well Done Wednesday’ at www.belgrade.co.uk/news-and-blogs
Faces of the Belgrade
The work of the Belgrade, on stage and in the community, benefits many different people, and so we feel that it is important for us to showcase their stories – looking at why they value the theatre. With this in mind, our previous ‘Play Your Part’ section of our website has now become ‘Faces of the Belgrade’ – with regularly changing articles and information as to how you can support similar ‘Faces’ and areas of our charitable work. For more details, please visit: www.belgrade.co.uk/faces
Exclusive Events for our Friends and Directors’ Club members
We are delighted to be able to welcome our members to see behind the scenes at the Belgrade, and over the last few months, these have included invitations to VIP Nights, the press launch of The Silver Sword, a backstage tour for Friends and a Gala Night for our Directors’ Club members. Friends of the Belgrade Theatre is a way for you to support the Belgrade and receive additional benefits that will enhance your theatre experience. We offer different levels of membership (from £30 per year) to reflect your interests and the level of engagement you wish to have with us. The Directors’ Club is the Belgrade Theatre’s business membership scheme which enables organisations to work in partnership with the theatre, entertain clients, target new markets, reward staff and show their commitment to the local community by associating their business with the Belgrade.
Support Us
We are only able to continue to do amazing things, thanks to the kind donations and support we receive from our Friends, Directors’ Club members, Individual Donors and Trusts & Foundations. We would like to thank our Box Office staff, who helped to raise just over £600, in August, by asking for donations over the phone or at the counter. By making a donation to the Belgrade Theatre Trust, you are enabling us to continue to: present a diverse range of high quality theatre; showcase productions that reflect the region’s stories; have broad access through pricing and facilities; nurture careers, through internships, placements and apprenticeships; provide a range of community and education learning opportunities; and respond creatively to the challenge of reducing our environmental impact.
To find out more about how your support will help the Belgrade, and to make a donation, please visit www.belgrade.co.uk/support-us If you have any questions, or wish to discuss your support, please contact the Development Department on 024 7684 6758 or email developmentadmin@belgrade.co.uk
Thank you