Residents of Guildford have been more than a little bit concerned about the future of the Electric Theatre ever since shows were cancelled in the April of this year, coming on the back of a financial crisis being experienced by those responsible for running it.
At the time, the fear was that it would have to close down altogether, following losses of a quarter of a million pounds, with the lease then being handed back to Guildford Council. Now it looks as though there might be some light at the end of the tunnel, with the Boileroom coming forward with a possible plan of what to do next.
What Is the Boileroom?
If you care about the future of the Electric Theatre, you will no doubt want to know more about the Boileroom, the company that has come forward with a plan of how to move forward with the venue remaining a going concern. The venue has a capacity of 275 and is based in the town, being something of a team of ‘curators’ of music talent that has emerged around the United Kingdom since 2006. When you consider that names such as Ed Sheeran, Wolf Alice and Tony Christie have all performed there, it gives you a sense of its position within the industry.
Committed to offering a chance to diverse artists from all genres of the music industry, one of the company’s main aims is to ensure that it offers an ‘inclusive space’. As well as emerging artists finding their feet in the industry thanks to performances at the Boileroom, so too have former employees of the venue gone on to become the likes of A&Rs, touring sound engineers and Production Managers, showing that it is a company that aims to provide the best environment for people to work and perform in. At present, the music and cultural arts space is based at Stoke Fields.
What Is Being Proposed
The owners of the music venue have come forward with what is being described as an ‘ambitious plan’ for the future of the Electric Theatre. The Community Interest Company has run the Boileroom venue for more than 20 years, believing as a result that there is some basis there for an ability to do something similar with the theatre. A spokesperson said, “We want the Electric Theatre to once again stand as a dynamic space for new generations of voices, art forms, and audiences and the generations to come”, which is obviously a hope-filled expression of interest.
Perhaps most importantly for the town, Boileroom have said that they want to ‘renew and elevate the Electric Theatre’s role in Guildford’s cultural landscape’. The initial plan is for a year-round combination of professional touring events as well as community-led projects, whilst also allowing for the theatre to be used as its intended purpose. That will mean the likes of rehearsals and workshops taking place, in addition to the likes of exhibitions that will all ensure that there is ‘regular stakeholder engagement’ to ensure accountability is in place and local needs are being met.
Dominique Frazer, the Director of the Boileroom, said, “Our vision is to renew and elevate the Electric Theatre’s role in Guildford’s cultural landscape, a venue respected regionally for its excellence in performance and community engagement, yet rooted firmly in local identity. We want the Electric Theatre to once again stand as a dynamic space for new generations of voices, art forms, and audiences, and the generations to come. Our submission reaffirms our long-standing commitment to Guildford’s creative life, inclusive access to the arts, and the sustainable management of community spaces.”
What the Council Is Saying
From 2017 until earlier this year, the Electric Theatre was being run by the Academy of Contemporary Music. When losses of more than £250,000 were posted, however, it was clear that that arrangement couldn’t continue. For their part, Guildford Borough Council remains determined to ensure that all options around the venue’s future are explored. Council Leader Julia McShane said, “We are absolutely committed to ensuring it continues to thrive.” The Council was also quick to point out that no firm decision had been made, but that it was ‘delighted’ by the level of interest shown.
A spokesperson for Guildford Borough Council said,
It’s clear that this much-loved venue continues to hold a special place in the hearts of our community, and we welcome the enthusiasm and ideas being shared. Today we’re launching our community survey and will be holding several pop-up events around Guildford in the coming weeks.
The plan is for stakeholders to meet up in January in order to discuss the various ideas that have been submitted around the future of the Electric Theatre, with numerous different groups having put forward plans to be considered.