The troubled Liepaja Theater has received 250,000 euros from the municipality to eliminate the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis. This means that the country’s oldest professional theater will be able to continue its work until the end of the year. Speaking about the future, the theater director says – the mood is gloomy.
The Liepāja Theater Troupe continues its work in full, the employees released at the beginning of the pandemic have been recruited. Theater director Herbert Laukšteins says – it can’t be otherwise. Although large performances cannot be shown to viewers due to financial disadvantages, small performances also need a full line-up.
“Great performances – in this case we are talking about the musical” Swamp Wanderer “- we cannot show it, because there is a large line-up, high costs, there are guest artists, it is unprofitable to show this show when the hall is full. We “return” those performances that did not take place in the spring and for which tickets were purchased. The debt to the spectators is currently 32,000, which we will return in cash, ”says Laukšteins.
Debts to viewers will be able to be returned from the funds allocated by the municipality. The funding will help the theater pay salaries to staff, cover the cost of performances or stay afloat until the end of the year. What’s next – there is no clarity. It is also unclear about the legal status of the theater, which will be discussed in a working group set up by the Ministry of Culture.
“We will live on, we will see. No figures are known yet, the works have been composed on the part of the theater, which have been agreed. These are new productions, directors, creative groups, or it will be possible to realize it, it will depend on the funding and also on the rules that will be dictated in the country, ”says Laukšteins.
The Minister of Culture Nauris Puntilis (NA) promised TV3 News last week that the working group, which will also discuss the future of the Liepāja Theater, will start working in the coming days.
It has been a week, but it is still unknown when this working group will sit at the negotiating table.
“I have been invited, I am interested in what else is in it. But still at the beginning of the week did not know how to say. Figured somewhere on the 23rd. Whether it will be a gathering for that group or how, I have no information, ”Laukšteins points out.
The head of the municipality also did not know how to answer when the working group could resort to specific solutions.
“I very much hope that it will not last long. This issue is currently active. Actors and specialists of Liepāja Theater, also Mr. Laukšteina are waiting and hoping for solutions. We see that the state and the municipality could be the owners. The municipality does what it has done and does not create exceptions, ”says Jānis Vilnītis (LRA), Chairman of Liepāja City Council.
It should be noted here that the parties’ vision of the theater management model in the future is ambiguous. Laukšteins sees theaters in state administration on equal terms for all theaters. The municipality wants to share functions.
“We will have to think about a common construction, because I heard that Liepāja City Council would not like to give up this theater at all. Undoubtedly, if we expect this state function from a professional theater, then the state should be more involved, there is no discussion about it, ”points out Puntulis.
Meanwhile, the theater manager is concerned about another important issue – raising the salaries of theater employees, which was planned at the beginning of the year. Liepāja artists did not receive a salary supplement, and in the current situation it is unlikely that they will be able to deliver on their promises next year as well. “It is not clear whether we will have the money. Until the end of the year, it is as it is until it is clear what the funding for next year will be. We cannot commit and raise wages. Quite a depressing mood from many civil service activities. I received an opinion on the work yesterday. 2019 – negative, many points have not been met – the reason, there have been no funds for it, ”explains Laukšteins.
The director of the theater does not hide his concerns – while the working group will meet for the first meeting (when it will not be known), taking into account the current situation of Covid-19, the March scenario may be repeated at any time and Liepāja theater will not be eligible for state support.
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