Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Small Theatres and Performing Arts Venues

Thursday 27 February 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Josh Newbury asked the Minister about the closure of the council-owned theatre and museum in his constituency and highlighted community efforts to form the Cannock Chase Theatre Trust.
  • The Minister praised the community's volunteer efforts and expressed optimism about future productions at the theatre.
  • John Glen inquired about the 85 million creative foundations fund and its potential impact on the Salisbury playhouse, which serves 5,600 local children.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Josh Newbury Lab Cannock Chase
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

In Cannock Chase, the council-owned theatre and museum are due to close in two months. Community members have formed the Cannock Chase Theatre Trust and the Chase Heritage CIC to save these venues.

Question

I thank the Minister for that response. In my constituency, formerly represented by the great Jennie Lee, the council-owned theatre and museum are due to close in just two months’ time. Passionate members of our community have come together to form the Cannock Chase Theatre Trust and the Chase Heritage CIC to save these precious venues. Will the Minister join me in thanking those groups for all their efforts, and will he set out how the Government are supporting such community groups to take on culture and heritage venues at risk?

Answer from The Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism (Chris Bryant)

I commend my hon. Friend and all those who have engaged as volunteers to try to take over the theatre and run it in an effective way. I look forward to the first production; after all, “The play’s the thing”— I saw “Hamlet” last week, and “Richard II” twice. The most important thing is that we try to ensure that young people have an opportunity to act and have a creative education in their school, and that there are local theatres and other venues where they are able to see really high-quality live entertainment, such as in the theatre he is talking about. I am very happy to ensure that officials meet his volunteers.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific details on how the government supports community groups taking over culture and heritage venues at risk

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Q2 John Glen Con Salisbury
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The director of Salisbury playhouse welcomed the £85 million creative foundations fund and highlighted that over 5,600 local children were given subsidised tickets up to Christmas.

Question

On Monday, I met the director of Salisbury playhouse. She warmly welcomed the £85 million creative foundations fund, which she thought would be highly applicable to Salisbury playhouse, one of the few producing theatres in the south-west. She also told me about the 5,600 local children who were given subsidised tickets up to Christmas, and about her commitment to go out and raise funds from local investors in the arts. Will the Minister ensure that the value of the £85 million is maximised by combining it with visionary leaders like Rosa Corbishley at Salisbury playhouse, who will go out and get more money for the arts in our community?

Answer from The Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism (Chris Bryant)

We warmly commend the work it is doing. As I have said, it is brilliant if we can get lots of kids coming into theatres. I want every single child, as part of their education, to be able to see live theatre and live music, because that is a part of what stirs their creative opportunities in life. Yes, we are looking at whether there are other ways of bringing in not only commercial money but philanthropic money to try to match-fund the funding that can come from government.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific details on how the fund's value will be maximised or what actions will be taken to combine it with local leaders and investors

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