Theatr Gorllewin Morgannwg recognises the need, from time to time, for the Arts Council of Wales to review its objectives thoroughly and on that basis to formulate its policy and create a strategy. It acknowledges that any such review has to be driven by artistic vision on the one hand and economic and social considerations on the other. The balance between both to be governed by the aspirations and expertise of the arts community and the relevance of those objectives to the life of the people of Wales, their desires and needs.
Implementing those objectives must be a partnership between individuals, organisations, legally constituted bodies such as Companies, central and local government, and other various statutory and non-statutory bodies, on the basis of an honest evaluation of what is attainable as well as what’s desirable.
Both external and internal factors will govern what is attainable and they have to be taken into consideration when formulating the means of delivery as well as the objectives themselves. In this process, what exists presently should fully be taken into account. It is imperative that the new objectives do not diminish the spectrum of provision – diversity and development are necessary for any vibrant area of human activity, including the arts and drama/theatre in particular.
Adequate funding is necessary for the provision of theatre. The provision in its entirety needs adequacy, as does each of its components. The considerable percentage disparity in projected increase in arts funding by the Government for 1999-2000 between England and Wales is detrimental to the sustainability and development of all arts provision in Wales. In this situation, any new strategy must, as a prerequisite of implementation, ensure the continued financial support and contributions of other arts funding bodies. Securing this support should be a stated commitment within any new strategy and ultimately a consideration of its implementation.
In order for ACW to maintain the de facto legitimacy of its position in the arts world in Wales it is imperative that it exercises a robust, politically attuned advocacy of the aspirations and requirements of the arts in Wales. Minimally, this should secure continued support for the arts in Wales from existing partners. But it also needs an advocacy of the arts that seeks the development of the broadest support base possible.
This advocacy requires the commitment of conviction to be prepared to campaign for the arts to be given a central role in the life of Wales. The establishment of the Welsh Assembly this year provides a golden opportunity that should not be missed. A progressive policy across the arts effectively and efficiently executed that maintains the trust and support of arts practitioners is a prerequisite necessity of such advocacy. This has to be earned, with no assumption made regarding it.
Theatr Gorllewin Morgannwg responds to ACW’s Draft Drama Strategy on the basis of the above considerations and perspectives. The Company considers that it has two obligations - morally, to the well being, development and sustainability of drama and theatre in Wales, which it perceives as including its responsibility to its audience, staff and corporate partners and, legally, to its self as a Company limited by guarantee and a registered charity.
UNDERLYING PREMISES AND PRINCIPLES OF ACW’s DRAFT STRATEGY
Following the consultative documents published by ACW in the summer of 1998, which implied a holistic view of arts provision in Wales, the publication of this draft drama strategy on its own is disappointing.
It does not have the scope of the potentially challenging possibilities of such an all-encompassing arts perspective. The strategy’s financial premise, stated in 1.2, that it will be "funded from within current levels of support for drama" is ambivalent. The use of the word "within" can mean that under this strategy drama funding can or will be reduced. If this new strategy results in reduced funding, the theatre world in Wales will view it as deception.
Drama in Wales needs increased funding in order to sustain and develop the service. A definitive statement to that effect is necessary if this proposed strategy is an expression of attainable, adequate provision and not an exercise akin to rearranging the chairs on the Titanic!
The statement in 1.4 regarding maintaining the support and existing partnerships with local authorities is crucial. Such partnerships are an essential part of the present funding package as far as many companies are concerned. The inherent danger is that increased ACW funding and decreased or ceased local authority funding to an individual company could create a situation where the new strategy left a company in a weakened position financially. The commitment of local authorities to this strategy is absolutely crucial if that danger is to be removed. Without its removal, the very basis of this strategy’s thrust, to fund fewer companies better, becomes untenable.
Continued funding of drama and theatre by local authorities at current financial value, at least, has to be one of the underlying premises of this new strategy and should be incorporated in it from the outset. Any drama strategy must ensure that it is not detrimental to either the artists or creative well being and development of the Companies that have a role within it.
The reference in section 1.3 to "a diversity of voices and creative statements" must be an option that is open to an individual company. Companies have to decide for themselves whether or not to concentrate on one area of theatre only or not. Diversity of theatrical work can be a challenge for an individual company; it can be a means of safeguarding it against stagnation and marginalization also.
Artistic work of quality must be nurtured and safeguarded. Allowing an individual Company to achieve that through "diversity of voices" can be one way of maintaining that quality. Any drama strategy must include an increase in resources as well as the more effective and efficient use of the existing ones.
It should be part of ACW’s corporate concerns’ to seek resources for the arts, so that the opportunities available to the public and practitioners are increased within a context of sustainability and quality.
A comprehensive drama strategy for Wales must undertake its responsibility towards the artist and should seek to provide opportunities for Wales based and Wales bred artists to develop a career here. Wales based artists have a unique and responsible contribution to make to the development and implementation of any theatre strategy.
While ACW does not have any legal or employer responsibility for any artist, it does have a moral responsibility to ensure that artists can practice and develop their craft. This responsibility requires ACW to be aware of the current employment opportunities available and it should seek to ensure in a credible way that those opportunities are not decreased.
Strategies are created in order to pursue or implement a policy; this draft strategy lacks a coherent policy. The coherent vision that a policy could provide would give the strategy an integral cohesion. It could provide it with a focused advocacy role also. However, the strategy is so intricately tied to the premise that there will be no changes in the political and social environment that it denies the Council’s advocacy role and responsibility [Section 8] and tests to the limit the trust of the arts world in Wales in ACW itself.
A strategy should apply its principles and premises coherently. This draft strategy does not do so in its treatment of current local authority funding. Neither does it provide a reasoned explanation for the diversity.
In Section 4.1.2, dealing with the four building based production companies, it states "… that, together these four organisations receive substantial local authority support and … this has to be recognised as a strong reason for maintaining them – possibly in redefined roles." A diametrically opposed perception appears to be employed in considering current local authority funding of theatre in education, when discussing the proposed strategy for YPT.
Section 5.6 states that the draft strategy adopts an approach that "… does not immediately take account where support from local authorities is still strong." The people of Wales, the theatre community in particular, require and deserve a strategy based upon a clearly formulated policy with defined objectives. Partnerships in any situation require full equality of opportunity if they are to be meaningful and productive. Such partnerships need to be established prior to the formulation of any strategy. It is neither sufficient nor appropriate to have an "intention", as stated in Section 5.6. Partnership must require respect and involvement.
DETAILS OF STRATEGY
A - ALL WALES BASIS
The proposal that the foundation of the drama provision in Wales funded by ACW will be two building based producing companies [WNPAC] would create a system that imposes a concept of national theatre.It does not appear to reflect the existing diversity of theatre provision in Wales.
The concept of a National Theatre of Wales warrants a greater public debate than that afforded by this draft strategy. Surely, it is a matter for national debate not de facto establishment by stealth.
The desire to create an internationally acknowledged theatre provision in Wales is commendable. The comparison with W.N.O. & BBC National Orchestra should be fully explained. These two organisations receive substantial funding from outside Wales. In order to create a theatre comparable to them, funding from outside Wales should be sought in order to avoid an unacceptable drain upon the resources available to the whole theatre provision in Wales.
Both WNPAC Companies are based in one geographical region – where, approximately, only a third of Wales’s population is located, dispersed generally over a wide area. The locating of both WNPAC’s at one end of the country must be questioned on the grounds of demographics and accessibility.
Acknowledging the touring responsibility of both, as building based companies, each will be inaccessible to the vast majority of the people of Wales. A building based WNPAC means that the building itself would have significance in the mind of the general public. Therefore, it is not sufficient to account for the access deemed necessary by charter in terms of touring.
The provision envisaged to be based in Bangor and Mold would not have parity "in either funding or actual role" [Section 4.2:6]. In the light of ACW’s own language policy, is this acceptable?
The substantially increased touring required of these two companies, in order to comply with the Arts Council’s charter requirement regarding accessibility, could swallow most of the additional funding given to them. If that were the situation, how can it be maintained that the additional funding will enhance production values?
There is need for the southern, populous region of Wales to be directly served by companies comparable with those envisaged for Bangor and Mold.
The change in name and emphasis that YPT implies will change fundamentally a funding partnership. What is the evidence that the present funding local authorities will transfer their present funding from TIE to YPT? And how will those authorities respond to a regionally franchised YPT company?
The area of specific theatre work for young people shows a decrease in funding when considered against the current funding for theatre in education. ACW’s Annual Report shows that grants totalling £889k were given to the eight theatre in education companies. Under this draft strategy [Section 5.5] what is envisaged is 4 franchises at £180k each. This means a reduction in funding of young people’s theatre of £169k at a time when ACW is stressing the arts for young people and young people in the arts.
Looked at from another perspective, the addition of £11k to the current grant funding for TIE would enable the awarding of 5 franchises at £180k per year. That would enable the establishment of more convenient regions for the franchised companies, allowing them to establish closer relationships with young people, local authorities, youth organisations and relevant statutory organisations in their region.
YPT will broaden and change the provision of theatre for young people. The need for that diversity does not and should not necessarily supplant what is currently done by theatre in education companies who do exercise best practices and are responsive to changes in the education world and innovative in their theatre practice.
Many of the present theatre in education companies have developed valuable working partnerships with local authorities. Those authorities at least should be consulted fully and actively by ACW before this draft strategy is implemented and not either taken for granted or ignored.
The fundamental change in emphasis projected in this area of the proposed strategy requires a thorough and extended consultation with educationalists, youth leaders and local government members and officers.
Historically, in Wales community productions have played an important part in theatre provision. This strategy does not appear to provide any clear, defined role for that theatre tradition.
The proposals in respect of WNPAC treat community theatre differently according to language. Is this compatible with ACW’s own language policy?
Two areas that have in the past been highlighted by ACW do not appear to have a clear role in this draft strategy - taking good theatre work from Wales to other countries, and theatre provision in the industrial valleys of South Wales These two areas should be specifically dealt with in this strategy.
B. SOUTH WEST WALES
(West of Bridgend and South of Llanelli/Crosshands)
The proposed strategy takes away from this region of Wales a considerable part of its theatre producing capability, a substantial and significant retrograde step. Local authorities in this region have supported professional theatre, both producing and presenting houses. Under this proposed strategy, what is ACW’s envisaged role for that support?
The partnerships developed between theatre companies, venues and local authorities in this region have proved innovative and reflected general community support. Various parties in exploring ways of developing existing partnerships and exploring new ones have invested considerable time and effort. The proposed strategy ignores the existing theatre work done in this region and does not take account of future intentions.
C. THEATRE WEST GLAMORGAN
This Company produces theatre in education both in Welsh and in English, main stage productions, Welsh language productions for community venues and theatres and is currently in discussions with the Leisure Services of Neath Port Talbot Borough Council to co-produce English language community productions.
The new strategy, with its emphasis upon distinct and clear categorisation of provision providers, will not necessarily create the internal diversity that many producing companies consider essential for their artistic well being.
Theatre West Glamorgan is committed to the development of live professional theatre in both Welsh and English in Wales and the provision of employment opportunities for theatre practitioners. The Company wishes to contribute creatively through partnerships and otherwise to the provision of a vibrant theatre producing capability in south west Wales.
CONCLUSION
Theatre West Glamorgan reiterates its commitment to live professional theatre in Wales, in both Welsh and English.
The strategy proposed by ACW is not acceptable to the Company because it is not convinced that it will provide Wales with theatre provision that relates to the whole country.
There are issues in the strategy that are of paramount importance to Wales. They are a matter of national debate and warrant consideration by the National Assembly.
In order for the people of Wales to be consulted fully on the proposed strategy, Theatre West Glamorgan asks ACW to defer implementation of this proposed strategy for 12 months, in order for comprehensive consultation with all spheres of Welsh life to take place.
The future of theatre in Wales deserves the support of the whole nation. That support cannot be forthcoming without genuine consultation that actually involves all who wish to and should be involved.
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APPENDIX A
LOGISTIC OF TIMETABLE FOR YPT FRANCHISES
The timetable circulated with the draft Strategy does not appear to take account of the effect of the May council elections upon Local Authorities.
Historically, most councils in an election year suspend their committee meeting cycle for approximately two months. Under ACW’s proposed timetable for YPT franchises, any Company applying that wishes to have a local authority partner could not secure the necessary agreement prior to submitting its application.
ACW’s proposed timetable means that it would be impossible for any prospective applicant to discuss any partnership in detail with any other party, since details of the terms and conditions of these franchises will not be available before the week-ending 26th March.
If past practice will be followed by L.A.’s, then this cycle of committee meetings will be suspended from Easter until approximately mid-May. Easter is only one week after 26th March.
How credible is it to assume that the first meeting of the new elected relevant committee of the L.A., will result in a definitive decision regarding partnership in a YPT franchise?
It is important that ACW clarifies the logistics of this timetable, so that no prospective applicant is unfairly treated in this matter
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