The Lyric Theatre is raising funds to restore and reinstate the beautiful arched windows in the auditorium and to make the good the ones on the front of the building. They have launched a campaign on line but are also looking for support and donations. The online campaign has a short film about the state of the windows and the good work that The Lyric does to support people who want to access the performing arts at a local level and also for many professionals who need a space in which to create and present their work. View it here http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/let-there-be-light/
The Lyric is unique in that not only does it present performances, offer space for classes and rehearsals, but it also houses professional working theatre makers and creatives. Niki McCretton, owner bought the building five years ago, from developers who were keen to turn it into flats. Niki has worked professionally in theatre for 26 years as is a well known and respected award-winning international performer. Niki heard about the building and raised the money to buy it by selling her house, passionate to keep the Lyric as a working theatre. During a recession she approached Lloyds bank and secured a loan to raise the rest of the finance needed.
Given that Niki works in the arts herself, running the highly acclaimed children’s theatre company Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company, it is remarkable that she also invests her time for free to make events happen at the Lyric which is set up as a Community Interest Company to support arts at every level for the local community and the wider community of professional artists who also need support in times of very little funding. The professionals she attracts to the town also share their skills via workshops and classes and work experience for young people. There are very few ‘producing venues’ in the country let alone the SW. The Lyric stands tall amongst the few – Plymouth Theatre Royal, Bristol Old Vic and The Point, Eastleigh – just a handful who can house professional artists and their team of designers, composers, actors etc. The Lyric is an incredible resource for the Dorset community with a sharing ethos and international connections.
Sadly, the building has not had money spent on it for many many years. Latterly the Bernard Gale Dance School was here, again a place of few resources but great passion for dance and the performing arts. The windows were boarded up long ago on the south side of the building – and it now has no natural light at all – the windows were once beautiful arched church windows that shed lovely light, sunshine and warmth into the auditorium. It is currently dark, cold and unwelcoming during the day. The space is cold as no light warms it up meaning the lights have to be on all the time, running up bills and not helping energy save for the environment.
The building has had a long history of being a public building, and Niki and her team of dedicated volunteers and professionals want to continue to keep this building open to the public and also to renovate it. They successfully raised £11, 000 three years ago to rebuild internal walls and install a high specification fire alarm system. The Lyric does not currently receive any public subsidy or grants and is being run by goodwill by a resourceful and hardworking team on a shoe string.
They have raised £4,622 so far and need to hit a target of £9850 to complete the campaign on line by July 23rd or many of the pledges will not be honoured – this is an all or nothing campaign – please do help to spread the word and if you know of anyone able to help, this is indeed a very worthy cause.
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/let-there-be-light/
