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London theatres post record takings
Private sector funding
Box office receipts exceed £500m for the first time as attendances hit new high
for arts decreases
Private sector investment for By Pete Hayman
culture has fallen 7 per cent in
2008/09, according to Arts and London's theatres saw a record
Business, which predicts that number of visitors in 2009 as
the worst is yet to come. The box office receipts passed the
total of £654.9m received last £500m mark for the first time,
year amounted to an average of according to the Society of
15 per cent of the industry's London Theatre (SLT).
total income, according to a Attendances for plays,
study by the organisation. Public musicals, operas and dance
sector funding came to 53 per shows during the 12-month
cent, and the remainder came period increased by 5.5 per
from ticket sales and trading. cent to more than 14 million,
compared with 2008, while Attendances at London theatres increased by 5.5 per cent
Government grants for
like-for-like box office revenues
Jewish institutions
increased by 7.6 per cent. declined by 2 per cent for the London explains these record
The Department for Culture, Plays proved the most overall year. figures in such a difficult year.
Media and Sport has awarded successful for London's theatres SLT president Nica Burns "While musicals continue to
grants of £100,000 to each of in 2009, with attendances up said: "Britain's artistic commu- flourish, 2009 was an outstand-
The Jewish Museum and The by more than a quarter, while nity continues to create ing year for plays – proving that
Wiener Library – both in London opera, dance and entertain- exceptional work. The extraor- audiences respond to challenge
– to help meet relocation costs. ment also reported growth. dinary quality and breadth of and stimulation, as well as
The Jewish Museum, situated in Musical attendances, however, productions available nightly in toe-tapping entertainment."
Camden Town and set to re-open
on 17 March after a major
revamp, explores Jewish heritage
British Museum announces new BBC partnership
and identity as part of the wider
story of Britain. Four permanent By Luke Tuchscherer to allow all 'studious and
galleries will display a variety of curious persons both native
objects, films, photographs, The British Museum has joined and foreign born' to construct
hands-on exhibits and personal forces with the BBC to launch a their own history of the world
stories. Meanwhile, the Wiener new campaign dedicated to and to find their place in it.
Library, which was formed in world history, which will see a "Thanks to the incomparable
1933 is set to move to Russell number of special productions reach of the BBC – radio,
Square in 2011 after 50 years at for television, radio and online. television, World Service and
its current Regent's Park home. At the heart of the scheme is the web – as the series
a BBC Radio 4 series, A History develops, everybody across the
Funding boost for
of the World in 100 Objects, The British Museum in London UK and across the world will be
Scottish arts
which started on 18 January able to participate, using not
The Scottish government is to and sees 15-minute shows British Museum director Neil just the things in museums, but
provide a further £50,000 for focusing on one object from Neil MacGregor said: "Parlia- their own objects as well, to tell
Arts and Business Scotland's New the museum's collection. ment set up the British Museum their history of the world."
Arts Sponsorship (NAS) awards
scheme. NAS provides match-
funding for first-time arts
DCMS announces 200 new arts apprenticeships
sponsors, or for companies that
have not sponsored for at least Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw has announced assistants, marketing assistants and fundraisers
three years, and is also open to that more than 200 performing arts appren- at organisations including the British Library.
non-Scotland-based companies ticeships have been made available to help Meanwhile, New Deal of the Mind is also
to sponsor Scottish arts projects. more young unemployed people into work. behind 56 positions at a disability-led theatre
An organisation receiving an Nearly 170 jobs will be provided across 14 group in Ongar, Essex, which will enable
eligible grant will receive £1 of London boroughs as part of a project run by young people to take roles including commu-
government funding for every £1 New Deal of the Mind, including design nity craft workers and arts programme workers.
of sponsorship through NAS.
12 Read Leisure Opportunities online www.leisureopportunities.com/digital © Cybertrek 2010
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