Arts Council to spend £40m to fight recession – Theatre gets a Financial Break

April 29th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Press Releases

There’s good news today for the theatre world and any cultural organisation worried about fighting off the effects of the continued recession. Arts Council England has announced a new fund of £40m which institutions can apply to for support over the next two years.

Trademarked the ‘Sustain’ initiative, the funds will reduce the council’s lottery balance quite severely. This balance is usually kept topped up in case any emergency injection of cash is needed into a large scale project.

Although the initiative which has been labelled Sustain might weaken the council’s ability to deal with such unexpected situations, it will make a real difference to many people.

Any art organisation can apply for the grant from the initiative. Grants will range from £75,000 to £3m – quite substantial amounts for any organisation. Priority will be given to organisations seen as vital in providing for the Art Council’s mission of ‘Great art for everyone.’ However, with a minimum payout set so high, it’s unlikely that any small organisations will see much benefit, especially those outside of the city.

ACE chair Liz Forman who announced the Sustain initiative also criticised the government’s decision to remove £4m of funding from the 2010/11 budget this week: “Of course we understand that the national debt has to be tackled, but a few million off the arts budget is going to make no appreciable difference to that task. On the other hand it could undermine years of creative and financial investment.”

ACE is responsible for many forms of cultural development which includes the theatre, photography, music and dance. Although the agency was financially prepared for far greater losses, they’ve still been hit quite hard. An ACE spokesperson warned that although no cuts in current funding would have to be made, the council may have to be more careful about new projects: “That is why, in implementing these cuts, we will not reduce our planned investment in the arts organisations we fund on a regular basis. Instead we will reconsider our existing and planned new projects and look to find savings there.”

Along with the Sustain fund, ACE have also announced an extra £4m for the ‘Grants for the Arts’ budget over the next two years and a £500,000 program aiming to bring artistic flair to empty retail spaces within towns.

Theatre Breaks

Theatre Breaks have are rapidly becoming one of the most popular ways to see a show, possibly in part due to the great value when compared to booking a hotel and theatre ticket seperately.

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Struggling to Afford a Short Break Due to Weak Pound? Consider a London Theatre Break.

December 15th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Press Releases

With the GB pound low against both the US dollar and the Euro, short breaks in Europe and the US seem a lot less attractive!
 
This doesn’t however mean that people have to miss out on quick getaways. Many people are looking to their own little island for short breaks.
 
Our Capitol city for example has lots to offer those seeking a spot of brief escapism. For example, you may wish to visit the London eye, and get a bridseye view of central London and beyond.
 
Another possibility would be to combine a sightseeing tour of London with a West End theatre break.
 

What is a Theatre Break


 
The term ‘Theatre Breaks‘ is is commonly used to describe a short break (usually at weekends) that consits of a ticket to a theatrical show, combined with a nights stay at a hotel, sometimes with breakfast included in the price.
 
Part of the popularity of such breaks is that usually after a show, the magical feeling that the theatre bestoys on people fades all too rapidly when, for example, the person gets on a crowded train for the journey home. Whereas with a theatre break, after the show a top London hotel awaits, and thus the magic continues.
 

How to Book Theatre Breaks, and are They Cheap?


 
The most common way to book a theatre break is online. There are lots of sites that offer a booking service for theatre breaks, so to some extent you can take your pick. As regards cost, cheap theatre breaks are available, but make sure you choose a reliable company to book through.
 
It is advisable however, to choose a site that has been around for a while, and is member of The Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers.
 
Such a site is www.westendtheatrebreaks, with over 20years in the industry, you can be confident that they will be able to offer you a great deal.
 
 
 

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Things to do in London – From Theatre Breaks to Big Eyes!

November 11th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Press Releases

London, the UK’s capital city has much to offer for international tourist, and UK ‘short breakers’ alike.
 

Perhaps a trip to the London eye? Where you spend around 30mins in a glass ‘bubble’ – and get to some of the the best views of London you will ever see!
 

Then there is the West End. The west end is to be found just to the west of the mediaeval city of London, and has long been favoured by the elite classes as a place to live, due to its location being upwind of the smoke that used to drift from the city centre. The west end is also, of course, famous for its world class theatrical productions. Indeed, in 2005 the total attendance numbers for west end theatrical productions exceeded 13 million in 2007, which set a new West End record.
 

Theatre goers often lovingly refer to the West End as “Theatreland”, and, most of the theatres within the bounds of this magical realm date back to either the late Victorian or Edwardian era. Practically all the theatres have a large amount of character and splendour.
 

The theatres do tend, however, to offer a little less leg room and have smaller toilets, due to the fact that the buildings are usually listed, meaning expansion of the premises to make room for the larger crowds attending is difficult. In 2004 an estimate was made, stating that around £250million was needed to modernise the theatres, although theatre owners were unsuccessful in their attempts to secure tax concessions to help with this.
 

How to See A Show.

 

Tickets are, of course, usually available from the theatres booking office, but this is arguable an expensive way to see a show. Top seats at popular performances sell out fast, meaning getting a good seat can be difficult.
 

You can always turn to the ‘secondary ticket market’ – Or ticket touts, but this will invariably be a costly affair.
 

There is another option. There are a select few internet sites that offer cheap theatre tickets at reasonable prices. If you can spare the time to spend the weekend in London though, it may be worth considering another option
 

Weekend Theatre Breaks


 

Weekend theatre breaks are a great way to see a top show, and have a lovely stay in a great hotel afterwards!
 

Because the company providing the theatre break will have established relationships with the ticket houses, they will be able to secure you a package that will far surpass your expectations.
 

Most theatre breaks come with a fully English breakfast included, and are available to just about any west end show.
 

A word of warning though, be sure to use an established website to buy your theatre break from.
 

Westendtheatrebreaks.com are one of the good guys, they have been in business for over 20years, and, with the help of their expert knowledge of all things theatre, coupled with the history they have with all the theatre houses in the West End, means they are well placed indeed to provide you with the very best theatre breaks available.
 

 
 
 
 
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West End Theatre breaks- Good Value?

October 24th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Press Releases


 
West End shows. You either love them or hate them. Though, even if you love them, getting any seats- let alone good seats- can be a study in futility. Looking for an edge and plenty of deals on theatre breaks ? Time to visit Westendtheatrebreaks.com
If you’re new to the idea, you get the tickets to the show, a hotel and breakfast. Especially if you don’t live in London, the prospect of the drive home or public transport after a great show may not appeal. Instead, why not grab a drink after the show before retiring to a top London hotel and head home after a good breakfast.
 
London Theatre Breaks
You may like the idea of living the luxury life but worry about the cost, you could well be surprised. If you look around there are fantastic deals available and if you compare online a good website can offer excellent value.
 
Westendtheatrebreaks.com has over 20 years experience in the market. They work with the top theatres and hotels and are able to offer amazing deals. This means you can compare all the options and book the complete package with massive savings.
For example, most shows sell out quickly. If you have to resort to the ‘secondary ticket market’ you may find a ticket to the show you want, on the day you want is selling for around £150 per adult. For the same money westendtheatrebreaks.com can offer a ticket for the same show, a night in a top hotel and a full English breakfast to gird your loins for the trip home.

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Theatre Breaks – A Great Way To See A Show!!!

October 1st, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Press Releases

theatre breaks
 
West Ends show tickets often sell out fast, meaning securing decent seats can be a chore. Westendtheatrebreaks.com gives its visitors the upper edge, by offering them amazing deals on theatre breaks to see top West End shows.
 

A theatre break is simply a ticket to a top show, with a hotel included. Even Breakfast in the morning is laid on.
 

If you enjoy a night at the theatre, but hate having to leave and go back to your normal life once the show ends, then a theatre break can be an amazing experience.
 

The great thing about theatre breaks is that once the show is over, you can be whisked off to a top London hotel, which only enhances the magic that you felt during the show, rather than killing it with the sudden shock when reality strikes as you broad a usually late train home!
 

London Theatre Breaks


Not Necessarily Expensive
 
Theatre breaks do sound magical, and indeed they are! – But in the day and age of the credit crunch, surely this is a luxury that most of us can ill afford? – Think again!
 

If you shop wisely, you can find some amazing deals out there! – Choosing a good website to buy your break from can make a huge difference.
 

Westendtheatrebreaks.com has been going for over 20 years, and during this time they have managed to secure some pretty amazing deals with all of the top West End theatres. What this means for you, is that through them you should be able to book a complete theatre break package at an amazing price.
 

For example, some top West End shows sell out fast, meaning one of the few ways to buy tickets is resorting to the ‘secondary ticket market’. Such tickets can, and frequently do, cost around £150 per adult. A complete package of a top London hotel, a ticket for the same Show and a full English breakfast can cost roughly the same amount if booked through westendtheatrebreaks.com
 
 

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