Letter: My ACM Offer For The Electric Theatre Is A Real Opportunity

Published on: 27 Nov, 2015
Updated on: 27 Nov, 2015

From Kainne Clements

As executive chairman and Owner of the Academy of Contemporary Music, I would like to publicly state my support of any initiative which aims to save Guildford’s Electric Theatre for continued community use.

Having been raised locally and educated here in Guildford, I have a deep connection to the borough. It’s that local education which enabled me to go on and start my own business, winning international acclaim and providing the funds to invest back into Guildford, through the academy .

The real driver behind my interest in taking on the lease of The Electric Theatre therefore, is to keep the venue open to the public.

As I see it, there is a real opportunity to extend the great work we do with our staff and students at ACM further into the community.

If invited to take on the management of the theatre, a key aim of mine would be to combine our creativity and expertise with the talent and experience of other community groups to programme unique and exciting theatrical productions in Guildford.

To that end, I have already been in contact with other venues and partners to see how we could work together. This includes a recent discussion with GATA [Guildford Amateur Theatre Association], through which it became clear that we have highly complimentary skills as well as common interests in the future of The Electric Theatre.

I lend my support to their “Save The Theatre” campaign, accordingly. I have no set agenda of my own re programming and the venue’s ongoing operation, other than to see it enjoyed by a whole spectrum of local people.

The education provision we currently host at The Electric already coexists alongside its other established programmes. With closer integration, our education provision could even support developing and amateur theatrical programming, keeping costs of productions low by utilising the expertise of our staff and students.

The teaching provision at ACM is run on a not-for-profit basis. My proposal is to extend this not-for-profit approach to the theatre for the benefit of the community by removing financial risk, enriching programming and maximising patronage of the venue.

The right decision as to the future management of the theatre must address a balance of economics and purpose. In this, my one and only public statement on the matter, I hope I am able to assure everyone of my commitment to both.