An Islington theatre has raised £120,000 in an emergency appeal to weather the coronavirus storm.
The King’s Head Theatre smashed its fundraising target of £100,000 with the help of a £35,000 grant from Arts Council England’s Emergency Response Fund, and has secured its immediate future amid the prolonged closure period.
The campaign, which was covered by this paper in May, was backed by Sherlock actor and co-creator Mark Gatiss and his husband, Ian Hallard.
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“We now need the government to do their bit and come forward with a substantial support package for the entire theatre industry,” said the couple in a statement.
The theatre was planning to celebrate its 50th year by moving to purpose-built premises in Islington Square in December.
It received an £800,000 grant from the London mayor’s Good Growth Fund towards the £3 million move.
Chair of the theatre James Seabright said: “The King’s Head operates without any regular funding, with 80 per cent of our income coming from box office sales, so this has been a lifeline.”
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