A new cultural scheme will be launched in London next year, offering free tickets to art exhibitions and cultural events to the underprivileged.
The London Ticket Bank will launch in January and provide unsold tickets for hundreds of music, theatre, comedy and dance events to those who can’t afford them.
in an interview with The Guardian Chris Sonnech, a spokesman for the scheme, said around 1,000 tickets would be given away a week since the scheme was launched.
He said: “Art is a human right. “The more difficult people’s financial situation is, the more they are squeezed out of art.”
“There are wonderful people who put together food and heat banks, but this does not provide humanity with its basic needs from a spiritual point of view,” he added.
With the scheme offering free and pay-what-you-can options, Sonnex said: “People struggling with the cost of living should also have access to community, entertainment and something that warms the heart. If people go to the theater, they will be warm for a couple of hours.
Those to sign up so far include the Roundhouse, the Barbican and the National Theatre, with more venues and organizations expected to join before the scheme is launched.
Last month, research by the charity Help Musicians found that 91 per cent of musicians could no longer afford equipment, which it described as the “cost of the job crisis”.
The study paints a grim picture of life for musicians in 2022, with soaring energy and fuel costs, double-digit inflation and the sector starting to feel the effects of Brexit, driving up the cost of overseas tours.
Almost all musicians (98 per cent), the charity said, were worried about earning enough income in the next six months, with half worried that their financial situation was “extremely” or “extremely” likely to force them to leave the industry.
Bands like Regressive Left and Porridge Radio have recently been offering discounted tickets or guest list spots to fans who can’t afford their concerts.