The post-war transition of Soviet theaters to self sufficiency and its consequences (using the example of the Chelyabinsk region)

Abstract

Since the formation of the USSR, theatrical arts have played an important role in educational and cultural work with the public. To achieve these goals, the state provided significant funding to theatrical institutions. However, in the post-war period, when the priority of allocating resources was to rebuild the country, the Government issued a Resolution of the Council of Ministers № 537 “On reducing state subsidies to theaters and measures to improve their financial performance”. According to this resolution, only a few theaters retained state support, while the rest had to become self-sufficient. This article aims to examine the consequences of this reform for the development of theatrical institutions in a large region – the Chelyabinsk region, which, as of January 1, 1946, had ten professional local and regional theaters. The source base for the research is represented by legislative documents and records. The authors attempt to apply the theory of “protected” benefits to analyze the process of reducing subsidies provided to theatrical institutions. They conclude that theatrical institutions deprived of state support faced a difficult economic situation, leading to their closure. In the Chelyabinsk region, out of the ten theaters op erating before the reform, only four remained by the early 1950s. The theaters that continued their operations were able to survive largely due to government subsidies. However, even they had to find alternative ways to address their challenges, such as optimizing costs, increasing production, and constantly updating the repertoire to attract audiences. Despite certain shortcomings, this reform promoted the commercial development of theaters and set the stage for future developments in cultural policy during the 1950s.