Memorandum submitted by Save London's
Theatres Campaign
1. FUTURE OF
THE THEATRE
MUSEUM
Save London's Theatres Campaign wishes to express
its urgent concerns about the future of the Theatre Museum—referred
to hereafter as TM—and our deep disquiet about it remaining
under the auspices of the V&A. British Theatre and the Performing
Arts are an abiding national success story, reflected in Theatre
Museum exhibitions and recently referred to by the V&A as
*"a world class collection". And yet, they have recently
announced that they will close the Covent Garden Museum in January
2007. It will be placed in storage for the next two to three years,
until all too limited gallery space can be found at South Kensington.
In our view the V&A have not fulfilled
their remit under the National Heritage Act, 1983 and we regret
to say that we and the theatre and performing arts community,
among others, have lost all confidence in the ability and the
will of the V&A to advance and develop the TM. On the contrary,
they have treated it as the "poor relation" throughout
the last 20 years and they are now about to relegate and downgrade
it . They have shown in various ways their disrespect and disregard
and that they do not consider it to be on a par with other Departments
of the V&A and have targeted it for a major cutback. This
is in sharp contrast to the many millions being spent on their
recently opened Islamic galleries and soon to be upgraded Ceramics,
Medieval and Renaissance Departments, as referred to in recent
press reports.*
The collections of the Theatre Museum are an
amalgamation of a number of different collections, particularly
The British Theatre Museum Association (BTMA), the Friends of
the Museum of the Performing Arts (FMPA), The Harry Beard Collection
and others. The BTMA and the FMPA gave their collections to the
Secretary of State on the implicit understanding that they would
be exhibited. The original Theatre Museum Advisory Council had
representatives on it from the BTMA and FMPA to ensure that the
conditions were observed. There has been a clear obligation on
the part of Government since 1971 to provide and pay for a separate
museum. The overall collection has grown considerably since the
Museum opened in 1987. After the long struggle for a Theatre Museum,
we are obliged to ask why the DCMS are now standing by and letting
this happen.
In January 2006 the V&A Trustees voted to
close the Theatre Museum for good. The Stage newspaper
has documented the stages of the process during the past six months.
It became known that without consultation, the V&A were seeking
a "deal" with the Royal Opera House—it was and
is seen as a "sell-out" and a quick fix. The ROH have
their own agenda and apparently wished to develop their educational
work. But did not enter into talks for philanthropic reasons or
because they wished to "save" the TM. Incidentally,
both opera and dance already take up a very substantial percentage
of the Collection and Archives—40% as detailed in paragraph
1 of the Executive Summary of the Consultation Paper (not printed
here).
The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) declined
to get involved. This gave the ROH an even more dominant position
for decision making and rights to take over space in an already
quite small Museum. Following a public outcry and some publicity,
the V&A issued a Consultation Paper. Save London's Theatres
convened a meeting last April attended by representatives of many
concerned organisations and following that we responded to the
"Consultation Paper"
2. SUMMARY OF
MAIN POINTS
FOR THE
COMMITTEE TO
CONSIDER
— The provision in the National
Heritage Act 1983 for the V&A "to administer the Theatre
Museum". Under the remit and effectiveness clause they have
failed to represent the interests of the Theatre Museum.
— A Theatre Museum should remain
in "Theatreland".
— The decision to close it should
be reversed.
— The need for urgent intervention
by the DCMS.
— Direct grant-aid is urgently
needed.
— Lack of Development Funding
since 1987.
— The V&As "Consultation
Paper" was flawed, containing factual errors, and was a sham.
— The collapse of the quick- fix
deal with the ROH, was inevitable, allowing for for the overall
dominance of the ROH—an unprecedented situation for a major
museum by an outside body.
— Poor management by the V&A
since 1987.
— Our doubts that "due process"
was observed by the Heritage Lottery Fund for the recent application.
— An urgent need to secure the
long term future and independence of the Theatre Museum.
— the role of the DCMS in this
matter.
3. THE V&AS
"CONSULTATION PAPER"
We are critical of the Consultation Paper: The
picture this gives of the work and achievements of the Theatre
Museum, against all odds, is generally negative and much was missed
out.
— Theatre Museum Management team
and senior curators were not directly involved in the process
and as a result the document contained a number of errors and
factual inaccuracies: eg It is not true that the The Museum has
the largest Departmental budget. It has less curators than some
other Departments, not more.
— The collection has grown considerably
since 1987.
— No mention of three previous
attempts by the V&A to close the museum.
— No mention of why the Theatre
Museum alone of all V&A Departments, has been targeted for
closure.
The impressive statistics of the Education Department
of the Theatre Museum were presented in a negative light.
— No explanation or mention of
how it is that the creative thinking put into the plans for the
development and upgrading of the Islamic, Ceramic, Medieval and
Renaissance Departments has not been duplicated for the Theatre
Museum.
— There is no discussion about
the lack of investment since 1987 and the struggle of staff therefore
to upgrade presentation.
4. THE FUTURE
OF THE
RUSSELL STREET
BUILDING
We are concerned that the V&A should not
consider giving up this lease at this stage. The lease runs until
2028.
5. THE ROLE
OF THE
DCMS SHOULD BE
URGENTLY CONSIDERED
The Arts Minister, David Lammy, recently sent
out a reassuring letter* to concerned people, saying that "the
options that the V&A are actively pursuing will allow the
Theatre Museum to continue in Covent Garden." Clearly, this
has not happened. We believe it is time that the DCMS took a decisive
approach and intervened , taking direct responsibility. The issue
of direct funding should now be urgently considered.
6. RECENT BID
TO THE
HERITAGE LOTTERY
FUND
Some doubts have been expressed that due process
was observed by the HLF in this instance.
7. OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
TO THE
SELECT COMMITTEE
ARE AS
FOLLOWS:
(a) The Museum in Covent Garden should not
be allowed to close in January 2007 and it should remain in Covent
Garden.
(b) The lease should not be given up unless
and until better premises are found.
(c) A Management Committee should be retained
and perhaps augmented.
(d) That the the Theatre Museum should receive
separate and direct funding.
(e) We believe that the V&A should no
longer be responsible for the management of the Theatre Museum.
There is an urgent need for a new board of Trustees to be appointed
specifically to run the Russell Street Museum and any future establishment.
(f) There is an urgent need for the Theatre
Museum to be free to fundraise.
(g) Questions need to be asked as to whether
the Heritage Lottery Fund observed "due process" concerning
the last TM application.
(h) That the Minister of Arts be asked about
direct funding for the TM and what he proposes in the interim
to ensure the continuance of the Theatre Museum.
(i) A search for more suitable premises should
take place as a matter of urgency.
(j) Questions should be asked about funding.
While we are not unaware of the growing crisis in national museum
funding, we note that the V&A have recently announced that
many millions are being spent on the Islamic Galleries (already
opened) and on the Ceramics, Medieval and Renaissance Departments
We do not, of course, criticise this but point out in comparison
that the Theatre Museum is now scheduled for closure.
(k) We suggest that the founding Director,
Alexander Shouvaloff (1974-89) and Margaret Benton (1990-2003)
are called by the Committee.
(l) The Theatre Museum must now be allowed
to do it's own separate fundraising and retain monies raised,
neither of which it is presently able to do.
Questions will, quite inevitably, be asked about
where funds will come from. And while we are aware of the growing
national crisis of funding to museums, it is relevant to mention
that the most recent figure for VAT raised on the sale of Theatre
tickets alone—and just in the West End—was £50
million. Apart from direct funding, there also needs to be a major
fundraising campaign. We think that a great deal can be achieved
for the long term future of the Theatre Museum. It would be scandalous
if it were to close. A sense of vision for the future is required
and it is now time for Government to play its part.
PROVENANCE OF
SAVE LONDON'S
THEATRES CAMPAIGN
We were founded in 1972 to campaign against
the plans of the Greater London Council to redevelop the Covent
Garden area and save the 16 theatres which were directly threatened.
These plans were subsequently withdrawn. In 1973 we stopped the
bulldozing of the Shaftesbury Theatre. Later the Criterion Theatre
was saved and in 1990, the Dominion. Since then, we have continued
to lobby and campaign for theatres and performance venues, dealing
with Local Authorities and have taken part in a number of Public
Inquiries. We remain an entirely voluntary body with annually
elected officers and guided by a committee of professionals, representative
and community groups.
INFORMATION REFERRED
TO ABOVE
OR OTHERWISE
DIRECTLY RELEVANT
(NOT PRINTED
HERE)
Press releases by the V&A Museum and the
Royal Opera House, September 2006.
"Consultation Paper" from the V&A,
April 2006.
Our own response to the V&A "Consultation
Paper", May 2006.
copy of the front page of The Stage newspaper,
September 2006.
Press cuttings; Observer, July 2006;
Evening Standard, July 2006.
West End Extra, March 2006.
Letters from: David Lammy June 2006 and from
Mayor Livingstone, June 2006.
Other relevant publications and Government Reports
(include):
Stage By Stage: The Making of the Theatre
Museum by Jean Scott Rogers, HMSO 1985.
The Rayner Scrutiny and The Burrett Report
(on the V&A, the Museum of Childhood and the Science Museum)
1982 Arts Council, 1955.
October 2006
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