Curtain Call Closes: An Online Resource Lost

When I opened up my email a few weeks ago, I saw a newsletter that made my heart sink. Curtain Call, an online platform for the arts industry based out of the UK was closing its virtual doors. In their words:

“Curtain down. Peace out.

Well the time has come to draw the final curtain. 

After more than 7 years of building, creating, sharing, learning and growing, we have taken the difficult decision to close down Curtain Call. 

As any founder and entrepreneur will know, we have not taken this decision lightly. Hands on hearts we tried everything we could to keep the company and vision going to create a platform for the entertainment workforce with a level playing field.”

As founder of TheatreArtLife, I know how hard it is to keep an online platform in the arts realm alive. By and large, our industry is not a wealthy one and most of our community are culture creators, not consumers, so to get people to buy into your product and online services is tough and time consuming.

I know, that most people who take on the challenge to create such a product, do it with much love and dedication to the industry. I’ve never met the founders John Schwab or Matt Humphrey but I would bet if we found ourselves at a British Pub together, we would have a bunch of war stories to tell over some beers.

“Our foundation was built on passion, trust and relationships, on providing a platform for all technicians and performers that work in our wonderful industry. From stage managers to spotlight operators, percussionists to producers, actors to automation operators, we have always maintained that everyone deserves to take a bow.

Despite what is thrown our way, artists and those that work with artists will always endure and persevere.”

The pandemic was a killer in so many ways and our industry is still recovering. At TheatreArtLife, I watched as I saw friends and colleagues around the world lose their employment, their lifestyle and for some, their identity. At TheatreArtLife, we started running webinars and a podcast to keep people motivated. We posted more, wrote more and connected people at a rate we had never done before. But none of it made us money. We lost a lot of memberships as people pulled in their purse strings. No one needs extra subscription costs when they don’t know where their next pay check is coming from. We totally understood. We were doing the same thing. Our only goal was to stay afloat and keep our spirits up. Thanks to our incredible community, we were able to do both.

Curtain Call also went to battle. They put on the world’s first commercialized Zoom play. They surveyed over 8000 freelancers and collaborated with Freelancers Make Theatre Work and WeMakeEvents. They hosted seminars, meet-ups, panels, Zoom meetings, network events and attended trade fairs. They build a government supported platform to support freelancers in finding work and over 10,000 people signed up. But it wasn’t enough.

“Another wave of the pandemic hit.

The impact on the industry made it impossible to raise further funds.
If there was a possible way of funding this work, we explored it.

So here we are at the end of an incredible journey, and ready for the next.

We wish all our friends, colleagues, members, co-workers, shareholders, investors the very best of luck.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us, joined us, worked with us, shared with us – without you we would have reached this conclusion a long time ago. 
Without you, there would have been no point. 
We see you, and we appreciate you all.

Peace out.

John and Matt.”

TheatreArtLife and Curtain Call are and were very different platforms. But our alignment lies in the fact that we both sought and seek, to serve the arts community, to showcase and support the incredible people within it.

John and Matt. I see you. I respect you. Thank you for all you have done over the past 7 years. Wishing you all the best for the future.

Anna Robb – Founder of TheatreArtLife

Also by Anna Robb:

Reflections on Accessibility in Theatre and Performing Arts

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