In November 2022, we received the devastating news that Arts Council England will no longer fund Gate Theatre from April 2023

The decision to make a 100% cut as a National Portfolio Organisation has been a shock to us all. As a small-scale theatre, this funding has been a lifeline for us and the early career artists we champion. Without it, our future is at risk.  

Over the last two years, the Gate has responded with imagination, energy and graft to the challenges posed by the pandemic, collaborating to produce: 

• A carbon neutral revival of Dear Elizabeth @ Theatro Technis, where nearly 50% of the performers were recent drama school graduates given their first professional credit
• Free outdoor audio piece The Letters Project, partnering with Age UK 
• New Dreams, a digital exhibition in honour of Refugee Week 2021 featuring portraits, video and poetry, in collaboration with Migrants Organise

And this year was one of the biggest in the Gate’s history. In July, after a long search for more accessible premises, we moved home to Theatro Technis @ 26 Crowndale in Camden. Our debut show at our new home was ★★★★ A Sudden Violent Burst of Rain, a poetic fable depicting an immigration system similar our own.  An epic new beginning.

Then, shortly after the announcement of this huge loss, we announced our defiant 2023 season. Starting with ★★★★★ Bootycandy, this review alone speaks to the enormity of what the theatre sector and our artists are set to lose without the Gate.

“Like a glittering phoenix arising from the wreckage, this inaugural show at the recently relocated Gate Theatre comes in the wake of Arts Council England’s decision to strip the former home of Billy Elliott director Stephen Daldry of its entire funding last November. Other theatres have responded to similar decisions by changing either their leadership or producing model. The Gate has responded by unleashing the most startling piece of theatre to be seen anywhere in London.” The Telegraph

This is not the end, but we need your help. 

So, what’s next?

At this point of uncertainty for the Gate, what we do know is that we still have so much more to do. Big things are still happening.

2023 SEASON: Bootycandy, HOT IN HERE, Brassic FM

A season filled with award-winning and early career theatre makers showcasing world-class global stories, experimenting with form and structure, addressing some of the greatest inequalities the world is navigating right now. 

This season encapsulates our commitment to ensuring the Gate continues to be a home for trailblazing international theatre and its makers for many years to come.

#KeepTheGateOpen – How You Can Help 

1. BUY TICKETS TO OUR SHOWS

We would love nothing more than to welcome you at our upcoming shows – book tickets here. After all, coming together at great shows is what we’re all about.

2. BECOME A GATE SUPPORTER

Get closer to us and our work. Buy a membership today from £60 a year (£5 per month) for yourself or as a gift for a friend, and gain benefits like priority booking, and more.

3. DONATE

We need to raise over £500,000 a year to keep creating groundbreaking theatre. Every donation matters, large and small. #KeepTheGateOpen, click here to donate today.

4. PARTNER WITH US

If you are interested in supporting any of the different strands of our work, from our artistic programme, and our community engagement to our work with young people, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact our Development Manager, Faiza on 020 7229 5387 or via email  faiza@gatetheatre.co.uk  

5. SHARE OUR APPEAL

Times are hard for so many right now, so we understand giving is harder than ever. You can still make a big difference by sharing our appeal with others. Thank you.

LASTLY, THANK YOU

Recent weeks have only proven to us how much the Gate means to many in our industry and those on our doorstep. On behalf of the Gate team, our artists and the communities we work with, thank you. We cannot do this without you.