Lighthouse Poole saw a 12 per cent increase in the number of tickets sold in the year to March.
The venue’s Annual Impact Report reveals it staged over 500 events, more than 1,000 performances, 500-plus screenings and ten exhibitions.
Chief Executive Elspeth McBain described the year as “rewarding, challenging and ultimately successful.”
The programme of more than 1,000 performances included drama such as SIX, The Full Monty and Twelve Angry Men, celebrity performances from the likes of Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller, and visual artists such as Quentin Blake and Georgia O’Keeffe.
Elspeth said: “We have recovered well post-Covid and worked hard to regain audiences and entice producers to bring shows, as well as to retain and increase earned income, such as ticket sales, room hire, food and beverage sales.
“While Lighthouse continues to receive public funding as an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and from BCP Council, in challenging financial times for local authorities, we are especially thankful for their continued support and endorsement of our work.”
The Creative Engagement programme provided 540 sessions for 3,731 young people, along with regular sessions with groups including Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and Youth Chorus and Poole Leisure Painters that supported the development of performers and visual artists of all ages.
A hub for creativity, Lighthouse Academy offers young people opportunities to engage with a wide range of art forms and to nurture their own careers in the cultural industries.
As well as the Young Writers creative writing course, and Young Technicians with its direct career pathway into the technical team at Lighthouse, last year Lighthouse recruited its first Young Producers to work on the showpiece Poole Pride event.
Having worked with 150 local people on its summer community play project SALT, Lighthouse says it’s committed to supporting regional talent and, as part of its Sanctuary programme, worked with 100 artists to give them the space and support needed to make new work in Poole.
For emerging writers, the new Pipeline partnership with Dorset Scriptwriters has been declared a great success.
Actors present rehearsed script-in-hand performances of curated works in front of an audience that is invited to pay what they can to contribute to covering actors’ expenses.
With the support of individual donors and sponsors, Lighthouse has been able to extend its work in the community and the success of last year’s Big Christmas Appeal meant some 2,000 tickets were given to children and families and other groups who otherwise would not have been able to enjoy the wonders of live theatre.
Lighthouse continues to work alongside national events including Discover! Creative Careers Week, Shakespeare Schools Festival and the National Theatre’s NT Connections in which more than 120 young people perform on stages at Lighthouse.
They include groups from Westfield Arts College, Weymouth; Dorset School of Acting; Pure Drama; Love Theatre, Jersey; Black Cherry Youth Theatre; High Definition Drama; Swanage School; Colfox Academy, Bridport; QE School, Wimborne and Poole High School.
The Annual Impact Report can be found online at Annual Impact Report – Lighthouse