London Assembly looks for best ways to support small theatres

An investigation into how small London theatres can remain viable is being launched by the London Assembly. Led by Tom Copley on behalf of the Assembly’s Economy Committee, it will focus on small theatres with an annual turnover below £250,000. These are mostly outside the West End where the majority of theatres have fewer than 300 seats. These theatres are seen as boosting the economy by drawing visitors to areas outside central London. The investigation aims to gather information about the challenges they face, including funding cuts, uncertainties over tenancies, structural issues with premises and difficulties promoting their work. A key aim is to assess the scale of these challenges and see if the Mayor could do more to help these venues thrive. In his 2010 cultural strategy, he pledged to work with local authorities and funding bodies to ensure high-quality cultural services are expanded and enhanced across London. Theatres are now being asked to complete an online survey, and theatre-goers, producers, funders and other cultural organisations are also being encouraged to contribute.