​Your support is needed to help keep Louth’s theatre going

​Earlier this year, it was announced that Louth’s Riverhead Theatre, owned and operated by Louth Playgoers Society, will not be receiving any further Arts Council funding from April 2023.

The reason is that the theatre is part of Lincoln Arts Trust Ltd (Core LOV), which encompasses the Lincoln Drill Hall, South Holland Centre, and Guildhall Arts Centre Grantham as well as the Riverhead Theatre.

A spokesman for Arts Council England said: “Across the country we received many more applications than we can fund which means we had to make some difficult decisions, and unfortunately, we have not been able to offer funding to Lincoln Arts Trust Limited (Core LOV) / South Kesteven District Council.

“The National Portfolio is just one of the ways we invest in art and culture. While they have been unsuccessful this time it doesn’t mean the end of our funding relationship with them and conversations are ongoing with the Riverhead Theatre and other consortium partners about other Arts Council funding programmes.”

As a result, the theatre have been appealing for as many people as possible to come out and support the theatre by making sure all their upcoming shows sell out to make up the shortfall, but more audiences are needed.

Mike Courtney, spokesman for the theatre, said: “We need to fund the shortfall since we lost the funding so we can continue trading, and it’s a big chunk of money we’ve lost.

"It’s sad because before, the funding meant we could have put on more different shows, but now we have to think more commercially and if a show is viable, and it’s a difficult position to be in.”

To help boost funds, the next show at the Riverhead will be a Big Night Out variety show, with a number of professional artists, including Bobby Dazzler from ITV show The Comedians, giving up their time for free to help keep the theatre going.

But so far, Mike said numbers are not as high as they would like, and now people are urged to come out and see the show support the theatre.

"People just aren't going to the theatre as much as they used to,” he said, “It’s understandable in the current climate if people have to choose the theatre and eating, but we need people to get back into the habit of going out to the theatre again.”

Tickets are £20 and available at https://louthriverheadtheatre.com/whats-on

Then coming up in September, the Playgoers will present Open All Hours to mark 50 years since the hit BBC comedy aired on TV.