Singer-songwriter/comedian duo Jonny & The Baptists will be live-streaming an event for The Pound Arts Centre in Corsham next week.

The free event, which can be viewed on Tuesday, July 7 will suggest donations which will go towards supporting the art centre’s ‘comeback fund’ to ensure they can re-open in the Autumn.

The pair are streaming their performance from the basement of their – closed – local pub with a crew socially distanced to manage the lights and camera.

Despite the unusual circumstances, the pair said that it was good to be back and performing in any capacity.

The virtual tour, which kicks off at The Pound, will also visit the King’s Place in London, Mac in Birmingham and The Stand venues across Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle.

The pair said: “The value that the community and the area get from an arts centre like the Pound is almost impossible to put into words.

“As well as having great touring theatre and comedy and music and arts exhibitions in their auditorium and spaces, they also run brilliant festivals of the arts in Blue Sky and Magical Mayhem; they work with rural touring networks to bring events to the wider area of Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire; they run tremendous youth and outreach programmes to make the arts available for everyone.

“If it wasn't for places like the Pound doing the work they do, we wouldn't have artists making not just theatre but all the films and TV shows that people love that grow out of young people being nurtured, developed and given a voice by arts and community centres.”

The Love You Hate Covid livestream tour will call at:

CORSHAM, Pound Arts (Tuesday, July 7)

LONDON, Kings Place (Thursday, July 8)

BIRMINGHAM, MAC (Tuesday, July 14)

EDINBURGH/GLASGOW/NEWCASTLE, The Stand (Thursday, July 16)

For more details on the event, please visit https://poundarts.org.uk/whats-on/jonny-the-baptists-love-you-hate-covid/