The Phoenix Arts Club, a long-standing institution in London’s independent theatre landscape, has launched a Crowdfunder campaign to raise £125,000, aiming to protect its operations for 2025. Now functioning as a Community Interest Company (CIC), the venue continues to champion the values of creativity, community, and fair artist remuneration.
The club, which welcomes over 100,000 guests annually, hosted nearly 1,000 performances over the past year and has paid more than £3 million to creative practitioners in the last five years. Despite recovering from the impact of the pandemic and upgrading its audio-visual infrastructure with the help of an Arts Council England grant, the venue is now grappling with financial challenges due to escalating operational costs and a lack of sustained funding commitments.
Reasons to Support The Phoenix Arts Club
- Protecting a vital cultural hub: The club provides an invaluable space for theatre-makers, cabaret artists, and creatives from across the arts.
- Promoting fair pay for artists: With over £3 million paid to creative professionals in five years, the club remains a proud London Living Wage Employer.
- Supporting emerging talent: In 2025, the venue intends to develop 10 new theatrical productions, offering paid development time and additional support in areas such as direction, marketing, and production, culminating in live performances.
- Enhancing the venue’s facilities: Planned upgrades include new staging equipment, the addition of a baby grand piano, and the purchase of theatre-grade headset microphones.
Last year, The Phoenix Arts Club enjoyed a standout programme, presenting shows such as Spring Awakening, RENT, and Title of Show, with the latter transferring to Southwark Playhouse. The venue also played host to celebrated international performers, including Tituss Burgess, Scissor Sisters, and Laura Mvula, while showcasing emerging talents such as Henry Calvert and Emily Kitsch. The club’s cabaret stage featured favourites like Sarah-Louise Young, Marcel Lucont, and Joe Black, while comedy greats Kevin Bridges, Stephen Merchant, and Jack Dee trialled new material on its iconic stage.
By donating to this Crowdfunder, supporters will help preserve this iconic venue and sustain its vital role within London’s creative scene. Every contribution will be reinvested into the club’s charitable efforts, ensuring it remains a home for artistic innovation in the West End.
