APPENDIX E
(RE)DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
(a) Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC)
1. Over the last 18 months the RSC has been
through a significant period of organisational change. The appointment
of Sir Christopher Bland as chairman and Vikki Heywood as Executive
Director, working closely with Artistic Director, Michael Boyd,
has brought about a significant renewal of the management team
and structure. The organisation now has the management capacity
and flexibility to undertake a significant capital project whilst
maintaining the scale and diversity of its operation both nationally
and internationally. As a result of improved performance and savings
as a result of improved efficiency, the organisation is returning
significant surpluses and is on course to eliminate its current
accumulated deficit.
2. The capital project
Arts Council England has been working very closely
with the RSC in reviewing their plans. In early 2004, we asked
them to consider a detailed review of options for their redevelopment,
for which we have made an allocation of £50 million. The
RSC have undertaken a rigorous option appraisal considering three
detailed options with the preferred option being one that places
the new large auditorium for the RSC within the existing RST building.
This option retains the important heritage elements of Elizabeth
Scott's building, primarily the front façade, foyers and
the fountain staircase. Arts Council England has given its support
to this option, as has the Chief Executive of English Heritage.
This removes the issue of the proposed complete demolition of
the Scott building. Advantage West Midlands, the regional development
agency, has publicly announced its support for the Stratford redevelopment.
3. Next stages
The RSC is now in the process of procuring their
architectural team and plan to make an announcement of the chosen
architect in April 2005. The company is in the process of applying
for formal planning permission for a temporary theatre structure
in the car park of The Other Place theatre in Stratford. The proposal
is for a six hundred-seat auditorium. This will form the transitional
performance space for the RSC during closure during 2007-08, but
will also form a key part in the complete works of Shakespeare
season the RSC are hoping to stage during 2006. The redevelopment
is scheduled to be completed by 2009. The Board has capped the
redevelopment expenditure at £100 million; comprising £50
million from Arts Council England, £20 million from Advantage
West Midlands with what we believe is an achievable fundraising
target of £30 million from the private sector. Arts Council
England continues to work with the RSC on ensuring that there
are sustainable medium and long-term plans for the company's presence
in London as well as national touring. In the last year the company's
work has achieved high critical acclaim both nationally and internationally
and audience levels are high.
(b) South Bank Centre
4. Find below information relating to the
South Bank Centre. Please note that while requested within this
inquiry, the South Bank Centre is not a theatre and is intended
to provide an alternative on the South Bank to the National Theatre.
5. The capital project is for the redevelopment
of the South Bank Centre estate, which includes the Royal Festival
Hall, Hayward Gallery, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, Jubilee
Gardens and Hungerford Car Park. A Masterplan has been drawn up
by Rick Mather and Associates. The Arts Council's allocation to
this project is £40 million, including a £5 million
allocation recently agreed with DCMS.
6. Key points
— Organisationally, the South Bank
has a strong executive team, including David Parkhill, Chief Operating
Officer, Ian Blackburn, Project Director and Morven Houston, Finance
Director, supporting Michael Lynch, Chief Executive.
— Plans for the refurbishment of the
Royal Festival Hall (£74 million) are at the final tender
stage of a two-stage process, which will allow for a high level
of cost certainty. The contract will be let in March/April 2005
following an OGC/Key Stage Review, which is taking place shortly.
Closure is planned for July 2005, re-opening in January 2007.
— Good progress has been made on the
Extension Building; an effective method of financing this project
has been put into effect with the result that the project is now
in construction (£18 million project cost). The new building
will create new retail units and space for the South Bank's staff,
maximising the public space that can be made available within
the Royal Festival Hall.
— Contracts for the retail and restaurant
elements of the Extension Building are complete and licensing
issues have been resolved. Landscaping works along the riverside
will enhance the relationship of the Royal Festival Hall to the
Thames.
(c) Bridewell Theatre
7. The Bridewell Theatre, a small-scale
producing and receiving venue for musical theatre in the City
of London, closed in December.
8. The venue has faced closure since last
year when its landlords, the St Bride's Institute withdrew grant
support and imposed a substantial rent, following their own reduction
in funding from the Corporation of London. The theatre's situation
was discussed during the select committee enquiry into musical
theatre in 2003-04.The Arts Council had awarded the theatre a
grant towards consultancy costs to search for a potential new
home and to develop a viable business plan. The Arts Council also
succeeded in levering a one-off award of £30,000 from the
Corporation of London to match an ACE award for operational costs
whilst the business plan was developed.
9. The board of the Bridewell took the decision
to liquidate the company having explored a number of options for
the theatre's future. The Arts Council was clear that it was not
in a position to meet the theatre's annual running costs (in excess
of £300,000 per year) through regular subsidy.
10. The Arts Council regrets the Bridewell's
closure and is in discussions with the former Artistic Director
about the possibility of future funding for specific musical theatre
development projects through grants for the arts.
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