Harlequin reflects on Community Theatres conference

Delegates from Harlequin Floors participated in the Theatres Trust Conference recently staged at the City Variety Music Hall, Leeds. With this year’s conference topic being ‘Community Theatres’, Harlequin was once again a Slips Sponsor of the event.

Harlequin Group Marketing Manager, Mark Rasmussen summed up, saying, “The conference was well attended by people directly involved in "Community Theatre" at all levels. It was an exceptional opportunity to meet with these people, discussing their passion for local theatre and the challenges they face on a day-to-day basis.”

Conference 14 looked at what makes a community theatre. As new Community Rights give people more of a say on running their local communities, this year’s conference considered the role local groups increasingly play as providers of theatres and spaces for theatre in their localities, towns and villages.

The conference looked at an inventive range of capital projects and solutions used to secure the future of theatres. These include listing theatres as Assets of Community Value, taking on Community Asset Transfers and raising funds through Community Shares and the Lottery.