I took a very sad trip around Leicester Haymarket a few weeks ago. Once it was thriving. Once upon a time you could see interesting, quirky and worthwhile productions in the studio whilst the main house churned out high quality commercial product often destined for major tours and west end runs. The space is looking very sad now. The seats ripped out and stockpiled in storage to enable the removal of asbestos from underneath. The offices bare and dust covered.
Only a hint remains of the life this once vibrant theatre breathed not only in the local community but which resonated far and wide. Every theatre that goes dark should make us sad and make us more determined to save what we have. Arts in society thrive on passion and energy. In the good times that energy is a positive reflection of the human spirit. In the bad times that passion and energy is an outpouring of the desire for more and for better to sustain our souls. These are bad times.
Funding cuts may be a headline story before becoming chip wrapping but to the artist on the ground they are a livelihood gone, a mission unfulfilled and an outlet stifled. To those working in hard-pressed communities the reality of cuts will be seen every day. Leicester Haymarket stands as a ruined monument reminding us of what went before, reminding us of what we have lost. Sadly it is not alone. A society that fails to understand the impact of culture, the arts and the feeding of the human spirit is hollow and lacks life. The arts contribute hundreds of millions to our economy but politicians fail to see the whole root system, concentrating on the eye-catching flowers. I hope we find a way to sustain those organisations whose work has deep and profound impact on society.
Adrian Hall is Co-Director of ALRA