We sometimes think that with contemporary building codes and fire prevention technology, theatre disasters are a thing of the past. But here are some stories of contemporary theatres struggling to make a comeback from losses. The London Frontier Theatre in Magdalena, New Mexico operates in an adobe building was constructed as a Works Progress Administration project in 1936 and once served the town as a gymnasium.
Last September, rainwater from heavy weather conditions seeped into the west wall of the building and caused it to crumble. Because of the adobe construction, the theatre's director "...walked in to find a river of mud flowing onto the floor and a giant hole in the wall." Even after an insurance settlement of $47,000 for repairs, the theatre is struggling to reopen for the summer season.
In Los Angeles, Garfield High School's historic auditorium was
gutted in a May 2007 arson fire that also damaged an attached office wing. The school board is planning a new auditorium featuring a cutting-edge theater facility as well as a new 58,000-square-foot administration building with improved classroom and laboratory space. The estimated cost of the project is $54 million. The district is proposing to finance the project with future insurance payments. The building was insured with nine different insurers.
The Taproot Theater in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood reopened in February after arson caused extensive damage in October. The lobby ceiling even collapsed from water damage. A million-dollar remodeling job was required to fix smoke, fire and water damage. As part of their remodel, they even reoriented the lobby to allow for future expansion. The damage was covered by insurance.
In Columbia, Missouri a city-owned 19th-century barn that was home to the Maplewood Barn Community Theatre was destroyed by fire earlier. The estimated loss of the barn was set at $100,000, and there could be some proceeds from a self-insurance pool to help put up a new structure, but it likely would be insufficient to cover the total costs. A theatre board representative stated that the re-building process will be "...an uphill climb and it will be slow."
-El Defensor Chieftain, New Mexico, March 17, 2010
-Los Angeles Times, February 09, 2010
-KUOW News, Seattle 02/01/2010
-Columbia, MO Daily Tribune, April 10, 2010
Kickstarter.com, which launched in April of 2009, bills itself as a fund-raising platform for a variety of creative endeavors. It enables visitors to support projects with any amount of money they wish. Projects are financed on an all-or-nothing basis; if a project does not meet its fund-raising goal within a maximum of 90 days, it receives nothing. While many of the site's 75 new projects every week represented individual efforts, a "small but growing" number were spearheaded by organizations. The company takes 5 percent of the full amount raised on each project, if and only if project organizers meet their goals.
All organizations receiving CityArts funds are required to carry adequate liability insurance with a minimum limit of $500,000 for twelve months (January 1 - December 31) of the grant year. Coverage extensions must include contractual liability and name the City of Chicago as an additional insured without recourse or right of contribution for any liability arising out of the grant agreement.All organizations receiving CityArts funds are required to maintain and submit Certificates of Insurance that show coverage for the entire grant period (January 1 - December 31). A copy of the Certificate of Insurance must be submitted to the Department of Cultural Affairs prior to the release of the grant award. Current Certificates of Insurance will be required for each year the grant is awarded. Grant funds may be used to offset insurance costs.
