HfC's Community Club
18/11/23 09:04 Filed in: HfCCommunity
Tanisha, the Front of House Senior Supervisor at Hall for Cornwall (HfC), says she loves working in a place connected to its community.
Each year, HfC involves over 10,000 young people from all parts of the region through its diverse Get Creative program. This year, the theatre launched its pioneering Community Culture Club (CC Club) to attract first-time theatre-goers.
Engaging different communities in Cornwall, a rural area with dispersed populations and some of the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods in England, can be challenging. The CC Club initially provides free tickets for community groups and individuals who have not been able to access the theatre before or cannot afford a ticket. It targets postcodes where people are less likely to go to the theatre or attend a cultural event. This engagement is done discreetly to avoid any stigma around affordability.
Following a significant 'Levelling Up' investment in Cornwall, the CC Club was relaunched in December 2022 after a successful pilot. In the last year, HfC welcomed over 3,000 new members who enjoyed their first-ever theatre experience.
The CC Club provides subsidised tickets and now offers a bespoke support package, including complimentary refreshments, pre/post-show briefings, and additional support. The pre-show briefings answer any questions and alleviate people's concerns, especially if it is their first time in a theatre. The post-show sessions allow people to discuss their experience in a safe space and meet members of the HfC team and, where possible, the creatives and artists.
The Shared Prosperity Fund currently funds the CC Club until July 2024. This follows earlier seed investment from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, which initiated the pilot scheme when ticket subsidies were still emerging as a way to engage new audiences. To date, HfC has raised an impressive £800,000 to subsidise tickets. The learnings from the earlier pilot have been incorporated into the relaunched program.
Amid a cost-of-living crisis, HfC asked its audiences to match-fund the government's investment via a Ticket Bank, and they responded in their thousands, raising a further £19,000 to date. The newly launched Ticket Bank will enable HfC to self-sustain this vital community project when existing funding ends. At the point of sale, regular customers are invited to "pay it forward" so others can enjoy the same experience.
This year, CC Club members are invited to create their work with support from the HfC team. A showcase is scheduled for July 2024, featuring a signing choir, a dance performance from a Parkinson's group, and work produced by disabled members of the Cornwall Accessible Activities Programme.
The redeveloped heritage building that houses HfC has been at the heart of the local community for 175 years. Today, thanks to the Community Culture Club, Cornwall's connection to this unique and welcoming theatre is stronger than ever.
Engaging different communities in Cornwall, a rural area with dispersed populations and some of the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods in England, can be challenging. The CC Club initially provides free tickets for community groups and individuals who have not been able to access the theatre before or cannot afford a ticket. It targets postcodes where people are less likely to go to the theatre or attend a cultural event. This engagement is done discreetly to avoid any stigma around affordability.
Following a significant 'Levelling Up' investment in Cornwall, the CC Club was relaunched in December 2022 after a successful pilot. In the last year, HfC welcomed over 3,000 new members who enjoyed their first-ever theatre experience.
The CC Club provides subsidised tickets and now offers a bespoke support package, including complimentary refreshments, pre/post-show briefings, and additional support. The pre-show briefings answer any questions and alleviate people's concerns, especially if it is their first time in a theatre. The post-show sessions allow people to discuss their experience in a safe space and meet members of the HfC team and, where possible, the creatives and artists.
The Shared Prosperity Fund currently funds the CC Club until July 2024. This follows earlier seed investment from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, which initiated the pilot scheme when ticket subsidies were still emerging as a way to engage new audiences. To date, HfC has raised an impressive £800,000 to subsidise tickets. The learnings from the earlier pilot have been incorporated into the relaunched program.
Amid a cost-of-living crisis, HfC asked its audiences to match-fund the government's investment via a Ticket Bank, and they responded in their thousands, raising a further £19,000 to date. The newly launched Ticket Bank will enable HfC to self-sustain this vital community project when existing funding ends. At the point of sale, regular customers are invited to "pay it forward" so others can enjoy the same experience.
This year, CC Club members are invited to create their work with support from the HfC team. A showcase is scheduled for July 2024, featuring a signing choir, a dance performance from a Parkinson's group, and work produced by disabled members of the Cornwall Accessible Activities Programme.
The redeveloped heritage building that houses HfC has been at the heart of the local community for 175 years. Today, thanks to the Community Culture Club, Cornwall's connection to this unique and welcoming theatre is stronger than ever.