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Hardest role yet for SA theatres
In the face of dwindling funds, the Baxter theatre is planning to avoid the final curtain, writes MARCIA KLEIN
THE removal of government subsidies and dwindling audiences could see the curtain close for the last time on many SA theatres. Throughout the world, the performing arts are generally not economically viable and are often subsidised by governments, corporate or individual benefactors. In SA, theatres have had to re-examine their funding structures as the generous subsidies of the previous government have been taken away. Audiences have declined dramatically, and it is estimated that many theatres now have average audiences of less than 50%. Cape Town's Baxter Theatre, which was not a recipient of state funding but which has also been struggling, brought in Rodney Phillips, previously the deputy director of the Sydney Opera House, to position it for the future. Eighteen months later, he has gone some way to doing that and has launched a fund-raising campaign to ensure self-sufficiency well into the future. Phillips explains that theatres cannot be run in the same way as other businesses. "We are having to cope with the ongoing costs of running large buildings and we deal with an ephemeral product which depends very much on the goodwill of the public," he says. "The performing arts is a labour-intensive industry which has not been able to benefit much from mechanisation and specialisation. As labour costs continue to increase, we are not able to say to people: 'What more can you do to cut costs?' The gap between income and expenditure is slowly widening, operating costs are rising and we can't get additional productivity. Nor can we load the ticket prices." Historically, royalty or the church would chip in the difference and, over the years, this role has often been taken over by governments. Phillips says that in SA, "a cosseted handful of cultural castles (performance arts councils) were looked after extremely well, given outstanding state theatres, incredible infrastructure and money for orchestras, acting companies and ballet companies. "But the new government is not accepting that sort of largesse and there have also been accusations of 'Eurocentrism'. There has been a mammoth turnaround in financial support. By 1999 there will be no guaranteed state funding on the artistic side, but some to run and maintain buildings." The theatres must raise money from corporate or individual benefactors, or apply for project funding from the National Arts Council. The Baxter never received funding from the previous government, but after the election the Baxter and Market theatres were recognised and have received moderate sums. The Baxter's financial needs, however, are fairly large. Phillips says when he arrived he realised the Baxter needed to reinvigorate the building and staff and market itself to the public. He says he has largely succeeded in this area. "We also needed to find strategies to lift the quality of the product and turn audiences back. There is a campaign in place, including programmes designed to attract new audiences. We had to review the funding situation, as the previous way no longer exists." Although it is an independent theatre, there are links with the University of Cape Town (UCT), on whose land the Baxter was built. Last year, UCT cut its budget for the Baxter by 42% and the government money in its place cannot be used for operations but only artistic programmes. "We had a big hole in our budget and our backs to the wall." Unlike most theatres, though, the Baxter does have some money set aside for a rainy day. When it was built 21 years ago, money left over was placed in an endowment which has grown to R20-million. The interest is used to offset some operating costs. Phillips has started a campaign, aimed at companies and individuals, to double the endowment by 2000. He says the Baxter has two advantages over other theatres. "Firstly, we are the only theatre with R20-million in the kitty, the only one which has been responsibly looking at its financial position. We have begun to lay the groundwork for self-sufficiency. Secondly, because we are part of the UCT family, donations to the university are tax-deductible and there is no other theatre in SA with that opportunity to attract funding."
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