Thirty-eight workers at Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake have been made redundant.
The arts organisation confirmed that following a two-month consultation scheme, the staff will lose their jobs.
It said that changes to the Government’s furlough scheme, alongside social distancing restrictions meant decisive action was needed to reduce expenditure, and it was a difficult decision.
Artistic director Liz Stevenson and executive director James Cobbold said: “We deeply regret every job loss, but these actions are necessary to ensure Theatre by the Lake successfully reopens in 2021 and continues to serve its community and audiences.
“This has been a very difficult process for everyone involved but a reality of the situation that many theatres currently face.”
A team of 12 will plan the reopening of the theatre in 2021 and find new ways to “engage audiences and support local communities”.
The theatre also announced that it has so far raised nearly £90,000 towards supporting their reopening, largely raised from one-off donations from supporters, as well as customers with bookings for 2020’s cancelled shows converting their tickets to donations.
The theatre has created a JustGiving page for the appeal where members of the public can easily donate the cost of a ticket to support the theatre at this time. A major campaign is currently being planned to fund the significant costs required to reopen the theatre and whilst a reopening date is not yet set, it is unlikely to be before 2021.
Theatre by the Lake has recently been awarded a grant from Arts Council England’s Emergency Response Fund to provide essential support to the charity to withstand the immediate effects of the Covid-19 crisis and ensure its survival.
The theatre team will additionally be submitting an application for the Government’s £1.57bn package of support to the arts, culture and heritage sector to support their reopening opens.
