A CONCERT series based in the previous Cowley Fathers’ Church, St John the Evangelist, adjoining St Stephen’s House, Oxford, has found a latest home, after the theological college gave it notice to quit.
A spokesperson for St Stephen’s House said: “SJE Arts has been a terrific and well-loved success over the past thirteen years for the reason that College founded it. It became apparent, nonetheless, that the quantity of subsidy required from St Stephen’s House to proceed with SJE Arts into the longer term is beyond our means and our charitable objects.
“We regret this very much, but running a concert venue is an expensive and really involved enterprise. The College had also been actively finding homes for among the displaced regular concert programmes and groups which have been a part of SJE Arts.”
The concert series has found a house, from October, at St John’s College, Oxford, under the brand new name “St John’s International Piano Series”.
The director of SJE Arts, Michèle Smith, said in a press release: “We are really looking forward to moving to the delightful auditorium at St John’s, with its lovely Steinway D piano, and are already planning about whom to ask for the primary St John’s series. I can confirm that Angela Hewitt has already given a date and will probably be performing a programme of music by J. S. Bach.”
The latest trustees’ report for the Society of St Stephen’s House outlines the charitable objectives as being to “train clergy for the Anglican Communion and to enable students to pursue graduate skilled training and academic research in Education, Theological Studies and such related educational activities within the University of Oxford”.
The accounts also set out the present number of scholars at the school: 13 ordinands, nine post-ordination students enrolled in further courses, and an additional 22 students who’re studying elsewhere but using St Stephen’s House as their hall of residence. Canon Robin Ward, its Principal for 19 years, left in April (News, 17 January).
St Stephen’s House ceased in 2023 to be a everlasting private hall, because it had been for several years, of the University of Oxford, however it has the best to matriculate theological students on the University, in accordance with the trustees’ report.
The trustees outline the financial situation of St Stephen’s House, acknowledging that, owing to there being lower than £100,000 in free reserves, and the school being expected to proceed to run at a deficit, a call can be needed between selling property or taking out latest loans.
The overall net assets amount to greater than £14.5 million, in accordance with the accounts, but much of that is the school’s property.
