Please let's not perpetuate this corrosive narrative that theatres have just 'shut up shop' and disappeared. We haven't done that because we vital creative hubs for artists and communities. Long Thread incoming.... (with SHOUTY CAPS) too

To take BAC as just one example: WE ARE WORKING WITH ARTISTS. We finished our cancelled season with new offers with #BACGoingDigital. We are producing 7 new #cultureinquarantine projects with the @bbcarts and @thespacearts . We have been making small micro-commissions

and are currently working out how to open our physical spaces safely to artists, so they can keep developing work - and also to provide them with the digital tools to record and monetize their own content.

WE ARE SUPPORTING OUR SECTOR. We were privileged to support the fabulous #Gigaid administratively to get vital resources out to people when lockdown started. We helped enable @improbable set up wonderful, digital open spaces where everyone can grapple with the future of our

sector #Timetorespair. Now we are plotting with the wonderful @SusieHopkinson from Great Ormond Street to see how we can help artists to share digitally their lessons of working in challenging health environments. Watch this space for this and much much more in coming months

WE ARE WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE. The @BACBeatboxAcad has been busy hosting battles on instagram and making videos to 'teach the nation to beatbox'. Our teams have been checking in with the remarkable people from @Agency_change across the country.

WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITIES. Inspired by @9ElmsArtsRev, next week BAC's building will become a hub that brings local orgs together to get 750 creative packs out to local children who need them most. We are planning an Autumn season that showcases and amplifies the

incredible creativity out in our communities and local orgs and puts our social change activity front and centre. The brilliant @cocreatechange network is still thriving and generating new commissions to transform neighbourhoods across the country.

THE WORK HASN'T STOPPED. Yes all our orgs have depleted resources: our brilliant staff have agreed to go on furlough to help the organisation out. Most of them would want nothing more than to be productive and working right now and many are volunteering their skills elsewhere

And the real point I want to make is BAC IS NOT EXCEPTIONAL. Brilliant cultural venues, companies, artists, of all scales, shapes and sizes, have been working like crazy to do what they do best - bring creativity to the front line where it can serve our communities and be

part of the solutions we all desperately need right now. So let's not get lazy and allow people to define what theatre and live performance is and what is for, and when it is most needed by letting the story be 'Theatres have closed their doors'.

People haven't stopped, because the need for arts and creative inspiration and solutions hasn't stopped. Not for a heartbeat. Collectively, we can't afford a day off because the world needs us. So we didn't' take one.

We claim to be great story-tellers. So let's not keep telling the lazy story about what isn't happening in theatre and performance right now - and start shouting a lot more loudly about what is.

unroll @threadreaderapp