UK Theatres light up red in solidarity for the arts community
Posted on 7 July 2020
No, they weren't just painting the town red, as that would imply everything is doing just fine. Last night (6 July 2020), theatres across the UK lit up red in solidarity for the struggling arts sector. Over 500 UK venues took a page straight from the Empire State Building's book, as the popular NYC landmark frequently lights up in various colours to support different causes (i.e. save the elephants, LGBTQ+ rights, etc.).
#LightItInRed trends on Twitter as 500 major UK venues go red in solidarity
Among such venues lighting up in an "emergency red" include the Royal Opera House, National Theatre, York Theatre Royal, Swansea Grand Theatre, Dominion Theatre, Mayflower Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Norwich Theatre Royal, Palace Theatre, Northern Stage, Almeida Theatre, and many, many more.
While many industry leaders welcomed the UK Government's £1.57 billion rescue package for the arts, there are growing concerns of how the money will be allocated and whether or not freelancers will have to continue to support themselves on no income.
The National Theatre tweeted: "We're grateful for the vital support announced by Government and await news about what it will mean for freelancers, suppliers and the wider theatre industry. So tonight we stand in solidarity with #LightItInRed, while we wait for our cue to reopen."
By Nicholas Ephram Ryan Daniels
Ephram is a jack of all trades and enjoys attending theatre, classical music concerts and the opera.