History:Studio Theatre Funding

Amelia Mlynowska has used the archive to research the fundraising and sponsors of the Minerva, CFT's permanent studio space.

The Minerva structure during building work (date unknown)
The Minerva structure during building work (date unknown)

Theatre Society Members 

In 1988 the fundraising campaign started for the new studio theatre complex. Leslie Evershed-Martin wrote to Theatre Society members and asked them to donate £10.00 or more each which would be £24.00 in today’s money[1]

Some of the reasons Theatre Society members donated:

  • The new studio theatre would add a ‘wonderful, new dimension’ to CFT[2]
  • They wanted to help and had also put CFT in their will which would ‘be of assistance at a future time’[3]
  • A thank you for all the pleasure CFT had given them[4]
  • One had got spectacles from Leslie Evershed-Martin when they were nine years old and they wanted to help CFT now they were older[5]

However, some letters explained why Theatre Society members wouldn’t donate to the cause. Their reasons were:

  • Theatre tickets had gone up in price and so this increase should cover the cost of building the studio theatre[6]
  • The Theatre Society Members were senior citizens and disabled so they didn’t go to CFT as much as they used to[7]
  • A member wanted the money to be put towards improving disabled car parking, not a new theatre[8]
  • They lived 35 miles away from CFT and so wouldn’t use the new society club room or other facilities in the studio theatre complex[9]
  • The members said that they disliked the avant-garde plays shown in The Tent and so they wouldn’t donate to a new studio theatre which would show similar plays.

Small pensions and monetary pressures were also mentioned as reasons individuals couldn’t donate[10]

Fundraising events

CFT estimated that building a new permanent studio would cost around £750,000. It was thought that this would  be divided up by having £400,00 from five major contributors, £200,000 from ten big contributors and £150,000 to come from Theatre Society members and appeals to the public.[11]

CFT records show there were a wide range of fundraising ideas:

  • West Sussex Institute of Art and Design were asked to make a promotional video about the studio theatre.
  • Donations were encouraged at the Hayfever performance in the main house.[12]
  • A ‘Diamond Girl’ fashion show
  • An event called ‘The Pursuit of British Excellence’ raised £70,000.
  • Wine tasting at Stansted House
  • Balloon race in Chichester
  • Selling bricks[13]
  • Plaques were given to thank people for organising fundraising events[14]
  • Selling seats in the studio theatre which would be £250 each, this would be around £584.90 in today’s money[15]
  • Raffles
  • A list of light bulbs in the studio theatre that people could buy
  • Buy a bag of cement
  • Pay £1 for 1lb of cement
  • Buy a badge
  • Names of contributors would be put on plaques in the studio theatre

Sponsors

Nisson UK, the official sponsor of Chichester Festival Theatre from 1984 to 1993, donated £500,000 to the studio theatre fund and it was noted in a meeting that ‘this magnificent gift changes the whole aspect of the appeal’[16]

The Minerva Theatre opened 30 years after the Festival Theatre first opened its doors. The total cost of the development was £1.75 million. It was funded by public subscription, funds from CFT Productions Co. Ltd, the CFT Trust, the CFT Society, J Lyons Catering Ltd and Nisson UK Ltd[17]

Principle sponsors of the new studio theatre were IBM UK Ltd, Champagne Pommery sponsored events and Southern Electricity supported the CFYT. Southern Arts sponsored new studio theatre projects[18]

Amelia Mlynowska is one of our Young Playwrights and an alumni of the Youth Theatre

[1] Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[2] Letter dated 30.05.88, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[3] Letter dated 12.06.88, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[4] Letter dated 17.06.88, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[5] Letter dated 28.05.88, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[6] Letter ref 9B-49621, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[7] Letter dated 14.06.88, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[8] Letter 21.06.88, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[9] Letter dated 22.06.88, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[10] Letters, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[11] Minutes of a meeting of the appeal committee of the new buildings fund of CFT held on 8TH Jan 1988, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[12] Minutes of a meeting of the appeal committee of the new buildings fund of CFT held on 18th March 1988, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[13]Minutes of a meeting of the appeal committee of the new buildings fund of CFT held on 6th May 1988, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[14] Minutes of new building appeal committee of CFT on 28th Oct 1988, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[15] Minutes of a meeting of the appeal committee of the new buildings fund of CFT held on 9th Dec 1988, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[16] Minutes of a meeting of the appeal committee of the new buildings fund of CFT held on 15th April 1988, in Box 30 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[17] Press Release 07.04.89, in Box 38 of the CFT archive at WSRO

[18] Press Release, in Box 38 of the CFT archive at WSRO