Arts Council Grants Closed Yvonne Arnaud Theatre a £35,000 Lifeline

Published on: 16 May, 2020
Updated on: 16 May, 2020

The ghost light maintaining the faith on the stage at the Yvonne Arnaud

A one-off grant of £35,000 has been made to Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre from the National Lottery-funded Arts Council England to help with core costs during the pandemic closure.

The money comes from the council’s £160 million emergency response fund, which has been made available for organisations and individuals not in receipt of regular Arts Council support.

Joanna Read

Joanna Read, the theatre’s director and chief executive, said: “We are delighted. This is a lifeline that will help us, and an endorsement of our important role in providing theatre to audiences across the south.”

Julian Bird, chair of the Yvonne Arnaud’s trustees and chief executive of the Society of London Theatres, added: “The theatre industry has some tough times ahead, so we thank the Arts Council for supporting us and for showing confidence in our plans for the future.”

The theatre, which celebrates its 55th anniversary in June, is a charity whose main income comes from ticket sales. Guildford Borough Council kindly make an annual grant, and the theatre is fortunate to have the support of loyal donors, but without the safety net of future ticket sales, Ms Read and her team are having to work hard to ensure the theatre’s survival.

The Yvonne Arnaud is Always Grateful For Help

The theatre’s much-loved traditional family pantomime this year is Robin Hood, starring the popular trio of Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Peter Gordon and Jamie Brook, from Friday, December 4 till Sunday, January 3, 2021.

Please don’t wait until the last minute to buy your tickets, and if you book now you will help provide an invaluable cash flow. Or, make a much-appreciated donation via the website at yvonne-arnaud/donate.