Theatre Company Kneehigh Announces Closure After 40 Years

Veteran theatre company Kneehigh, which has operated for 40 years, has announced that it will be shutting down.

“Recent changes in artistic leadership raised questions as to whether Kneehigh could sustain their vision going forward,” reads a statement on the company’s website. “The Trustees and company reflected on a possible new future but concluded that it was better and more responsible to close Kneehigh and ensure an orderly wind down.”

There is no official date announced for the closure of the company, but the site says that they “plan to close the company in as short a timeframe as possible to ensure a smooth process for all involved.”

All plans that the company had for this year and beyond, including the Asylum season, will no longer proceed. Random Acts of Art was Kneehigh’s final project.

Read the full statement below:

With sadness and regret, the Trustees of Kneehigh are announcing the winding down of Kneehigh Theatre.

Whilst the last year has been a difficult time for many people, including those employed in the arts, performance and theatre, Kneehigh’s financial stability has enabled the company to continue to create work throughout the pandemic. Kneehigh is grateful to their principal funder Arts Council England and for the significant recent support received from the Culture Recovery Fund, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Coastal Communities Fund, Cornwall Council, and Garfield Weston Foundation.

Recent changes in artistic leadership raised questions as to whether Kneehigh could sustain their vision going forward. The Trustees and company reflected on a possible new future but concluded that it was better and more responsible to close Kneehigh and ensure an orderly wind down.

The company wants to thank everyone who came to watch the performances, the artists they have had the pleasure to work alongside, the industry collaborators and partners, the volunteers and community groups who shared their time, knowledge and stories, as well as the funders and the friends – all of whom made the work possible.

Hedda Archbold, Chair of the Board, said: “The board wants to acknowledge that this is a difficult time for the Kneehigh team. We want to thank them for the excellent work they have done and pay tribute to their passion and commitment to Kneehigh.

Last Saturday, the brilliant Random Acts of Art had its final performance. The project has been a high point on which to end. These bold, playful, humorous and thought-provoking creative works brought together dozens of collaborators all across Cornwall, and delighted audiences out and about as well as online. Eclectic, anarchic, inspiring and inclusive, it embodied the spirit of Kneehigh we have loved for the past 40 glorious years. Despite the challenges of the past year, it has been an incredible journey filled with joy and delight.”