Everyman Theatre records surplus despite Covid restrictions

Cork theatre charts a course through Covid restrictions that severely impacted the arts and entertainment sector

Pat Fitzpatrick in 'An Evening With Reggie', that premiered at the Everyman this year.

Cork's Everyman Theatre generated a surplus of over €60,000 in 2021 and increased turnover by 30% despite the building being closed for nine months of the year and being forced to work with reduced capacities for the short winter period when the building reopened. 

The arts and entertainment sector has been severely impacted by Covid[/url[ restrictions due to the pandemic. The Everyman's surplus is notable for a theatre that had to raise over 92% of its own funds through tickets sales, donations, strategic partnerships and fundraising activities.

Despite the Covid restrictions, the Everyman remained open for business throughout 2021 with shows running online or in person. It presented 289 performances attended by 30,000 people. This included a full run of panto, despite having to adjust to Government covid restrictions imposed mid-run, such as capacity limits and an 8pm curfew. 

Last year also saw significant upgrades carried out to the building on Cork's MacCurtain Street.

"While 2020 and 2021 were very difficult years for the Everyman, we were greatly humbled by the support shown to us by the people of Cork, firstly in the form of donations and, when the time came again, through buying tickets to our shows in huge numbers," executive director and CEO Sean Kelly said.

"We also couldn’t have achieved what we did without our fantastic team who worked tirelessly and selflessly throughout to ensure that the Everyman remained a vibrant, healthy, theatre, worthy of the citizens of Cork. "

Mr Kelly also thanked the Arts Council, the Department of Arts and Culture, and Cork City Council. "We look to the future with more optimism than ever before."

The theatre has also reported a strong run of productions so far in 2022, such as world premieres of An Evening with Reggie and Letters of a Country Postman.

Everyman chairman Denis McSweeney said “2020 and 2021 were, of course, traumatic for the theatre but our community of staff, artists, and board, knuckled down and ensured that the theatre emerged as strong as it has ever been”.