The lights are going out across our cultural life — make sure they’re not extinguished forever

The National Theatre on the South Bank in lockdown
AFP via Getty Images
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I should have been at Wigmore Hall on Tuesday night to hear the Catalan musician Jordi Savall.

Instead my tickets have joined a bleak pile that’s been building up since lockdown.

Another evening, another show that isn’t on — and another arts institution in crisis.

A couple of weeks back I interviewed the Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, to ask what he plans to do to keep theatre and music alive.

He made a clear promise — that he will get the money flowing to save things until social distancing ends and the arts can reopen.

I’ve known him, a bit, for years and I am certain he meant what he said. Dowden is honest, committed and doesn’t mess around.

He’s too decent to make stuff up — but he’s in a horrible bind. We’re still waiting for news — and meanwhile the lights are going out across London’s cultural life.

Dowden knows this. He’s not hidden away.

He’s well aware that even big institutions with worldwide reputations will go bust unless something is done.

There is talk that an announcement will come soon — not least because it would look terrible for the Government to encourage galleries to open after July 4 only for them to shut again a few weeks later when they run out of money.

And they really do need help this time — this isn’t just the usual cry for help from organisations already funded with public cash. It’s everything.

We have the world’s best theatres, with skills which support one of the world’s top TV and film industries, alongside museums and galleries that nowhere else can match, and orchestras, concert halls, pop-up venues, gig-performers, rock gods — the whole lot — and almost all of it is about to go up in a puff of smoke because they can’t, by law, sell tickets, and so can’t pay the bills.

Famous theatres are already sacking staff. Century-old orchestras may have to pack up their violins and flutes for good.

Kill the National Theatre, turn the South Bank into a car park, wipe out the West End and silence the Wigmore, and none of this magical world it will come back just like that. They will be gone.

All of them are ready, right now, to get going if the rules allow, but while the Government says it isn’t safe there is nothing they can do except work out when to send out the redundancy notices.

The Government’s furlough scheme has helped cover some of the costs so far and the arts world is as grateful as anyone else for that.

But it doesn’t pay all the bills on shuttered buildings, dusty stages or restaurants and bars which can’t trade.

Just because somewhere is famous and much-loved doesn’t mean it will be there tomorrow.

What’s needed is a bung, a pile of cash to pay the bills while they can’t trade.

By government standards it’s nothing: and the economic loss in jobs and earnings for Britain if the arts go mean the cost will cover itself in time.

The Treasury is said to be ready to help — but so far there’s silence.

The arts need saving so the music can play on.

It's a testing time for cricket

Tennis is okay. Going to Ikea is okay.

But cricket is a Covid risk, or so scientists say. The sport is on the banned list for the public.

At least there is the prospect of a Test series behind closed doors against the West Indies next month.

I can’t play but I love the game: in the Eighties and Nineties I remember England being battered by Curtly Ambrose and Michael Holding.

Now the quicks are back with the likes of Kemar Roach. I can’t wait.

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