A youth theatre has announced its closure following funding reductions.
The Hawth Youth Theatre, which operates as part of the broader Hawth Theatre complex in Crawley, will end its activities in the spring or summer period, according to an announcement published on the venue’s website.
Drama classes run in partnership with the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art will finish on Tuesday July 14 to enable current students to sit their examinations.
All remaining sessions will stop on Thursday 26 March.
The venue, which is owned by Crawley Borough Council and managed by Parkwood Theatres, stated the choice was made after considerable deliberation.
Martin Cleverley, who leads operations and community engagement at Parkwood Theatres, expressed that the youth theatre had been a fundamental component of the Hawth for numerous years and that the organisation took great pride in the positive difference it had made to many young people.
However, delivering a programme that provided members with the finest possible chances came with considerable financial implications, he explained.
Due to reductions in available funding, Parkwood could no longer maintain the existing structure, he noted.
Consequently, the organisation was compelled to reach this particularly challenging conclusion.
The youth theatre previously gathered every week and offered workshops focused on developing new abilities in acting, performing arts, musical theatre, improvisation and screenplay analysis.
Mr Cleverley stated that Parkwood would continue to prioritise making the Hawth a venue where young people could engage with the arts.
He indicated that the company hoped to explore new and more financially viable approaches to providing youth activities at the site and intended to provide updates should opportunities arise.
The Hawth, which first opened its doors in 1988, has welcomed numerous well-known performers over the years, such as Jimmy Carr, Miranda Hart and Suzy Eddie Izzard.
The venue even received a visit from Princess Diana, who attended a performance of London City Ballet’s production of Romeo & Juliet in 1992.