Thank you for supporting our campaign to save Blackheath Community Theatre and Drama at The Conservatoire. 

Today, The Conservatoire have finally released a public announcement that they are planning to cut ALL Drama from their curriculum. You can read it here and on their official Instagram. 

While we appreciate that the Board are now being transparent about their decision, we feel the statement is misleading - it implies that offering Drama at The Conservatoire hasn't been profitable. On Tuesday, we met with the Conservatoire's Executive Director. While we were grateful to have the decision explained in further detail to us, we also understood some important things. First - that Drama has turned in a small profit for The Conservatoire. Second - that this decision was taken on the advice of external consultants who, without getting to know the Drama programme and without consulting the student body, advised that greater profit could be made if they cut Drama completely and replaced it with further Art and Music courses. 

This isn't just a loss to the Conservatoire's student body and the local community - this is a failure to meet The Conservatoire's stated Mission "to be a centre of excellence of Art, Music and Drama." It is a purely commercial decision that doesn't align with the values that the Conservatoire has for so long upheld and been a champion of. 

We are a community of people who have long patronised and been passionate advocates for The Conservatoire and its role in the community. We feel strongly that they have made a huge mistake. 

This was a decision taken by The Board - and it can easily be reversed. But we can't get them to reverse it until they hear just how many of us are unhappy with their decision. 

Please share this petition as widely as you possibly can - so we can help the Board stay true to its Mission - and save Drama!