Dundee Rep theatre posted a pre-tax loss of £667,000 in 2024, annual accounts show.
And theatre bosses warned without “significant” increase in funding from Creative Scotland, they will continue to run at a “substantial deficit” for years.
Figures published by the publicly-funded theatre detail income and spending to March 31 2024.
Losses overall for the Rep were reduced from a £810,000 deficit in 2023. This was due to higher levels of donations and a small increase in turnover.
Dundee Rep received £1.98m from Creative Scotland in 2024, a figure unchanged from the year before. Dundee City Council funding for the Rep remained fixed at £318,000 for a second consecutive year.
Total income was up on the same period last year also, with Dundee Rep taking in £3.9m in 2024 compared to £3.7m the year before.
Dundee Rep accounts show loss
In her report with the accounts, chairwoman Dr Susan Hetrick notes the successful productions Dundee Rep has staged in the last year.
This includes View singer Kyle Falconer’s play No Love Songs, Sherlock Holmes and the 30th anniversary of Dramatherapy.
But she warns the venue will run at a loss for several years without a higher grant from Creative Scotland, which is funded by the Scottish Government.
She said: “The board have considered financial projections which show that without an increase of funding by Creative Scotland, the entity, in its current for with its current level of output will run at a substantial deficit position for several years.
“The board and the charity’s leadership team were incredibly proud of our submission to Creative Scotland for the renewed regularly funded organisation funding framework which takes effect from March 2025.
“The submission articulates our invitation to Creative Scotland to support the organisation with a funding settlement sufficient to ensure financial sustainability.
“In return we will continue to make the powerful impact delivered to the communities we serve.”
Staffing levels remained the same at the Rep year-on-year. Actors, restaurant workers and administrative staff employed by the theatre totalled 89.
Creative Scotland review
The appeal for more money from Creative Scotland, has also been made by Dundee Contemporary Arts.
DCA also lost money in the last financial year, with its director Beth Bate making a plea for a “significant” increase in funding.
Creative Scotland is expected to tell venues across the country the funding it can make later this month.
Meanwhile Creative Scotland faces its first review in more than a decade, it was announced on Monday.
Dame Sue Bruce will chair the exercise, probing whether the Scottish purse gets value for money in its cultural expenditure.
Culture secretary Angus Robertson said: “The 2025-26 Scottish Budget includes a record £34 million uplift for culture. I am determined to maximise the impact of every penny of that.
“The review will consider the diversity of potential sources of funding, such as philanthropy, for culture to underpin a more sustainable and resilient cultural sector in the years to come.”
Conversation