Dear Young Vic: a snapshot of a year in letters

WELCOME
Dear Young Vic,
The following pages are our attempt to record the hardest year this theatre has
experienced in living memory. The human impulse to gather and share stories is
centuries in the making, and to be denied this joy is near impossible to describe.
But attempt to describe we must. We must because we hope a year like this never
happens again. We must in order to understand the complex effect this pandemic
has had on our sector. We must because capturing a human narrative of the year,
filled with personal reflections and reactions, might just help us to make sense of it
all.
Looking back on the year is a strange experience. Despite being denied the thing the
Young Vic does – welcoming people into spaces to hear stories – it has been a year
filled with extraordinary moments. The YV spirit has remained vivid through the art
that has been created, whether that be on our screens or in our communities. The
theatre celebrated its milestone 50th birthday. The Directors Program helped
support a wealth of artists across this country. Taking Part connected in meaningful
ways with its networks. And departments across the organisation – Artistic, General
Management, Producing, IT, Administration, Development, Finance, Front of House,
Press, Marketing, Production and the Welcome Team – navigated an extraordinary,
difficult year and have kept our theatre going.
This summer saw a collective reflection for the theatre industry, motivated by the
rallying cry of Black Lives Matter and the activism of so many. As we look to the
future and the rebuilding of our sector, we will work towards an inclusive one,
hostile to racism.
We dedicate this document to our staff, collaborators, supporters, friends and
audiences. We look forward to the day we can gather in the walls of the building
once again, to feel the lights dim and the hushed silence fall in the space, in the
presence of art being made before our eyes.
Glenn Earle, Chair of the Young Vic Board
Photo (c) Philip Vile.