11th July 2024 – It has been announced today that STET, The English Theatre in The Hague’s application for structural funding from the Municipality was not successful. This means that from 2025 onward STET in its present form will close its doors. In a press release STET said, “We regret that the committee was not able to see the value of the work that we do and the diverse, inclusive and international theatre and education programme that we have brought to The Hague and its local and international community for nearly two decades.
“We want to thank [everyone] for supporting STET over the last 18 years. We know that this is sad news to deliver but be assured that the team at STET remain hopeful that a future STET can continue in one way or another”.
Until early 2025, STET will continue to provide The Hague with its programme of international work and they will take some time to contemplate their future.
ArtsTalk Magazine has been following STET for the past seven years and for most of that time it presented diverse work of the highest quality and we had a very good relationship with them. However, after a new leadership regime took over three years ago there was a marked change. It became less English and focused very much on LGBTQ issues which must have alienated many of its core supporters. From our point of view information was not very forthcoming and consequently the productions were difficult for us to promote, willing though we were.
Nevertheless, it would be a pity to see STET disappear and we at ArtsTalk Magazine wish them well in their efforts to survive, hopefully with a broader based, more inclusive programme which will not limit itself to a small proportion of the public which pursues its own agenda but aim to please a theatre going public with a wider, less biased range of interests .
