It is with a sense of gratitude and hope for the future that we welcome the UK Government’s announcement that Sadler’s Wells will receive a loan of £4,250,000 from the latest round of the Culture Recovery Fund.  

This loan will ensure the organisation’s survival and enable us to start laying the groundwork for a full reopening.   

By closing our theatres and reducing the work we are able to achieve, the COVID-19 crisis has taken away our ability to earn over 80% of our income. The emergency support we have received from the UK Government and Arts Council England to date was intended to support our survival until April 2021. This loan is therefore vitally important in supporting our ongoing operations and future recovery.    

Crucial to this recovery is our ability to welcome people back to our theatres. We are very excited to be able to reopen to socially distanced audiences from 17 May. These performances will be a hugely welcome first step, as full reopening is critical to our long-term survival. We are hopeful that we will be able to open completely, as set out in the UK Government’s roadmap, later this summer. 

Receiving this loan recognises our ongoing impact, innovation and resilience despite the difficulties of the past year. During this time of closure, we have embraced digital opportunities through an unprecedented increase in activity on our Digital Stage. Through our digital platforms and partnerships in 2020, we shared 25 dance workshops, 14 full-length works, 8 screendance films, 4 audio-described works and hosted a global gala online. This programme received more than 5 million views globally and provided work and income to hundreds of artists and freelancers. 

Artistic Director & CEO, Alistair Spalding and Executive Director, Britannia Morton said: “The Culture Recovery Fund loan ensures our continued survival and means we can look forward to welcoming audiences, artists, professionals and colleagues back to our theatres. We are very excited to be able to reopen with socially distanced performances, starting with our Associate Company English National Ballet’s performances of Reunion, from 17 May. We are grateful that this loan means we can continue to maintain our position as the nation’s dance house, supporting the dance sector nationally and internationally.”