Help Light Up Putney Arts Theatre
Fund raising appeal launched to purchase new stage lighting
Picture: Putney Arts Theatre
September 22, 2023
Putney Arts Theatre says it is facing a serious challenge to its ability to stay open due to the need to replace expensive lighting.
Sourcing the specialist tungsten lamps traditionally used in stage lighting fixtures is proving to be a significant problem and it faces a bill of over £35,000 to continue to be able to stage productions.
Some years ago, the European Union took the decision to disallow the manufacture of such lamps to reduce energy use, but the consequences were not properly considered. As a result, companies, such as Philips, closed their European factories.
Although the EU later decided to effectively reverse its decision, the manufacturing capabilities have not been reinstated. A handful of manufacturers in China originally agreed to continue mass production of stage lamps to keep the global industry supplied, Covid meant that that demand fell overnight to almost zero and the Chinese factories too were closed.
This means that performance venues are competing to get hold of the remaining and increasingly scarce stocks of tungsten stage lamps driving up prices.
This situation will only get worse as the remaining stock of tungsten lamps is used up.
Putney Arts Theatre, still have some usable lanterns, but urgently needs urgent need to replace the main stage lighting which is used for every production.
It has been decided to switch the venue to LED lighting. The 20 new lights needed would come at an estimated cost of £35,000 but as they would be LEDs this would result in a reduction of energy usage of 65-70%. Unlike the tungsten lamps which have an average life of around 150 hours, the new bulbs last for an estimated 50,000 hours and have the ability to light in any colour giving much more scope to offer a wide range of 'looks' to any production.
If you would like to donate to the venue’s appeal to fund new lighting click here.
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