PLEASE HELP SAVE THE BLACKHEATH CONSERVATOIRE

The Blackheath Conservatoire is a rare asset in this community.  It has provided the people of Blackheath with quality Art and Music tuition for 132 years. With its neighbour the Blackheath Halls, it is London’s oldest purpose built multi-arts complex.  In addition, it was the first music school in the country built on the European Conservatoire model, and the Art Building includes one of the last purpose built Victorian Life Drawing Studios still in use in England.  Not every community can lay claim to such an institution.

But this is all under threat. As with many not-for-profit cultural entities, The Conservatoire was vulnerable going into the recession and has encountered significant losses year on year since 2008.  With no reserves to call upon, the needs of two ageing buildings, the lack of modern systems and infrastructure and a need to refresh the business model it has been difficult to weather the downturn. The charity must refinance its existing debt by the end of February or the bank will foreclose and auction off the buildings. In addition, it must raise an extra £175,000 in order to have enough operating capital to make it through until the end of August when a new business model with a high profile partner will kick in.  We need to build the bridge from the past to the future.  This is our last chance to save the buildings for their original purpose and to keep the Conservatoire as the valuable community asset it is.  I feel we cannot let this happen on our watch, which is why I have got involved.

The irony of all this is that the Conservatoire, I believe, now has a really bright future. It has a new CEO, Sydney Thornbury, who is inspiring and has already made the organisation much more vibrant and focused on its community. No longer do parents sit with small children in gloomy corridors waiting for siblings to finish music classes. There is now a light and airy sitting room with toys and drawing paper; there is now a front desk which doesn’t require people to negotiate a difficult door with a buggy before getting to speak to someone. And the walls are covered with fantastic music related sculptures and art works. Who could miss the floral and astro-turfed piano in the newly revamped front garden? These are just outward signs of a real change in vision for the organisation.  Behind the scenes, a new sustainable business model has been created and a new team of Trustees has just taken over, chaired by Lord Andrew Mawson, one of the country’s leading entrepreneurs (www.andrewmawsonpartnerships.com). Together this new management team has the skills and experience it takes to reinvigorate the Conservatoire with an innovative and sustainable business model for a 21 Century community.  But we must help them buy the time they need to be successful.

Among the exciting new prospects for the Conservatoire is a partnership with a leading education organisation to enhance the art and music offer for the community; and more work with the less advantaged local schools to fill the expected gap in music and art education as the Government narrows the curriculum and EBAC to wholly academic subjects.

To reach its potential the Conservatoire has to get over this cash crisis and stay open.  It needs £175,000 by the end of February, to do so. There will be an emergency appeal launching in January. I have pledged to raise £5000 myself. It would be wonderful if you could help me do that. Every pound counts!

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