Bristol theatre archive grant to save 'at risk' records

Lucy Powell is the keeper at Bristol's Theatre Archives

The University of Bristol's theatre archive is to receive a government grant to stop valuable records being lost forever.

The Theatre Collection - one of the world's leading archives of British theatre - will get £25,179 from The National Archives.

It will help identify items in the UK at risk, and ensure they are preserved.

With the performing arts sector under pressure due to Covid, important records are said to be "in jeopardy".

'Urgent Situation'

Professor Karla Pollman, dean of the faculty of arts at the University of Bristol, said she was grateful to The National Archives for awarding a grant in response to the "urgent situation".

The money will help safeguard digital as well as analogue material from photographers, designers, actors and writers that is deemed in "immediate danger".

She added: "The project has the potential to make a material contribution to the history of theatre and live art in Britain which might otherwise disappear."

One of the many 'strongrooms' where archives are safely kept by the Theatre Collection

The collection documents life on and off-stage and hopes to safeguard or re-home other vulnerable collections from the community.

The grant of £25,179 will allow archivists to target collections under threat across the spectrum of British performance practice - from companies, individuals, and backstage professionals - so that they can be safely stored and recorded.

A portrait of the actor Mrs Jordan, also known as Dorothea Jordan, which is already in the archive

A total of 25 archives from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have each received up to £50,000 from the fund.

The government grants will offset some of the practical costs of keeping archives, such as storage, conservation, transport and expertise.

Jeff James, chief executive and keeper at The National Archives, said: "We cannot underestimate the importance of this funding and the support it gives to the successful archives.

"Records which were under threat will now be saved and preserved allowing future generations to research and learn from them."