A music and dance school offering degree level courses has signed a one year lease to use Leicester Haymarket Theatre.
Addict Dance Academy (ADA) – described as one of the biggest performing arts colleges in Europe – has struck a deal with Leicester City Council to use the 1970s theatre, which sits in a prime location in the city centre.
The theatre went bust during Covid owing more than £900,000 to ticketholders, suppliers and other businesses – including almost £285,000 to Haymarket Consortium, the group which relaunched it two years previously.
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Prior to that the building had been empty after it was superseded by Curve Theatre on the other side of town.
The Leicester-based academy will use the theatre’s auditorium, stage, studio and foyer areas for teaching from September 11 – initially for one year.
The academy will pay the city council for the costs associated with reopening the building.
Leicester Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “Since the Haymarket Theatre closed during lockdown, we’ve been looking for a sustainable solution that will guarantee the future of this wonderful building.
“Using the theatre as a teaching venue for dance and musical theatre students will bring the building back into use in the short-term and could even be part of a more permanent solution, so I’m really pleased to announce our partnership with Addict Dance Academy.
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“In the longer term, however, I’m determined to reopen the theatre to the public, and look forward to working with partners to create a programme that will attract new audiences and complement what’s on at Curve and De Montfort Hall.
“While that will require some further modest investment, to allow us to replace outdated equipment and carry out further upgrades, we remain committed to reopening the theatre fully and making sure that the lights stay on at this iconic Leicester landmark.”
The licence with ADA will run for one year initially, and over the next 12 months both sides will decide whether a longer-term arrangement would work.
ADA was established in 2012 and operates from two sites in the city – Imperial House, in St Nicholas Circle, and Wellington Street.
Founder and principal Gareth Chown said: “We’re already one of the largest performing arts colleges in Europe, with around 600 students on our books, but demand for our courses at both further and higher education level is huge.
“Last year, for example, we had to turn down applications from more than 1,000 would-be students because we just couldn’t accommodate them.
“Having the Haymarket Theatre as our teaching base means there’s potential for us to expand our remit and work towards developing a wider range of complementary courses covering subjects such as sound, lighting, wardrobe and make-up.
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“The opportunity to teach our students on one of the biggest theatre stages in the country is amazing and we can’t wait to move in on 11 September, in time for the start of the new academic term.”
Antony Flint, venue director at De Montfort Hall – which will take over the day-to-day running of the theatre – said: “The cultural ecosystem in the city is quite finely balanced so it’s important that the Haymarket Theatre works alongside other arts organisations in the city rather than competing against them.
“The mixed use model for the theatre that we hope will develop out of the partnership with ADA should help support culture in the city, while also making sure the venue is financially viable.
“Having an education company using the theatre during the daytime provides a really solid base to work on and, importantly, doesn’t prevent us from exploring further opportunities that could help ensure the Haymarket Theatre has a bright, and sustainable, future.”