Arts and Culture

Client:Knowsley Council and the Shakespeare North Trust

Brief:Project Review/Business Plan for Shakespeare North

What was undertaken?

SHAKESPEARE NORTH is a bold new theatre and education development proposed for Prescot in the Liverpool City Region. If developed, the theatre would showcase a range of new and touring works, including Shakespeare texts performed in an innovative cockpit style auditorium.

The proposals form the centrepiece of a wider mix of uses proposed for the localised area currently being considered in the Prescot masterplan. As a consequence, it is important that the Shakespeare North concept and business case was proven to be robust and it is in this respect that the client team sought advice.

The review comprised a comprehensive market, financial, funding review of the built scheme, together with a detailed look at the cost and revenue mix (including educational, commercial and detailed production budgets using Equity approved rates).

The outcome

This project is predicated on the need to develop new operating and funding models for theatre, in this case a blend of commercial streams, including food and beverage and student accommodation and most potently, HE fees for specialist Masters degrees which will enable this new theatre to trade profitably within three years with no public subsidy moving forward.

The work strengthened and validated an already innovative concept. With public funding under extreme pressure, Shakespeare North provides template for a bold new type of development partnership with specialist higher education cross-funding a quality producing house.

We believe this will be THE way to fund new quality producing theatre houses in the future.