Business Development Officer Report
In a time when we are unable to open to the public, we have been able to engage audiences with creative output and undertake real change in our technical facilities. In total we have contracted 14 freelance staff, received 20 hours in voluntary work and been the lucky recipient of £260 worth of recycled equipment. This is future proofing The Princess for when we reopen as well as connecting us to larger networks of artists and revitalising audiences interest.
Lockdown output
Since we last met we have engaged our audiences with:
- CONTACT visual arts exhibition presented digitally
- 3 free online teaching resources (art workshops) – viewed over 1600 times
- “The Seekers” podcast for 3-8 yr olds – presented by The Wardrobe Ensemble
Currently in creation
- 2 radio/audio plays for presentation in February
- 3 Arts Podcasts – Pandemic Pioneers – release date not known currently
- 3 further online teaching resources (art and spoken word/poetry) – February release
- Live and recorded workshops for onsite teaching (drama and spoken word/poetry) – when schools return
- A visual arts exhibition created during lockdown to be presented later in the year – Lost Holiday by Jacob Dear
- A Zine to complement the CONTACT exhibition
As you can see we have been very active behind the scenes. This effort lays the groundwork for the expansion of our audiences and development of our ticketed programme when we return.
Refurb
As you will have read with the site reports etc we are near completion and The Princess looks amazing. We cannot wait to share the building with our volunteers, regular users and audiences.
CRF #1
Regular on site work from our technician is proving well worth the investment. We have ordered the cinema equipment and in the process have been able to update our PA system allowing for future National Theatre Live streaming.
All PPE and necessary cleaning materials are on site except for visitor signage.
CRF #2
See attached list – notification of outcome late March.
Café Tender
There has been a good number of interested parties with tours booked over the coming weeks.
Education
Our education team have completed plans for a programme of educational workshops to engage with local schools, specifically KS2 at this stage. This will form part of an application for later in the year and a project delivery date of 2022.
Priorities
I suspect that theatres and arts centres will be again the last to return to normality but the structure for reopening, as per the last PMC, as a gallery with the CONTACT exhibition will allow us to reimagine the space and hopefully invite customers in prior to ticketed events. For when we do reopen, volunteer recruitment and training is high on my agenda as without their commitment we will not be able to open.
Already for the months Apr-Jun we have been rescheduling shows and we currently have a box office volunteer working safely from home on contacting customers in relation to tickets.
The additional staffing until the end of the year will allow us to; open with numerous new procedures in place to welcome visitors as well as adapt our communications to engage with our newly developed audiences and reconnect with our valued supporters.