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Sir: We are saddened by the report in the Western Mail (Tuesday 21.3.00) in which a member of the ACW evaluation panel has stated that the vote which resulted in Dalier Sylw being awarded the contract to create a new bilingual company to develop new writing was "rushed and unfair". We were surprised at the references made to the new company being based at Swansea's Grand Theatre, as Dalier Sylw made no commitment whatsoever, neither in its written proposal nor in its presentation to the panel, to base itself at the Grand Theatre, Swansea instead of the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff. Indeed, although we are very grateful to the Grand Theatre and the City and Council of Swansea for supporting our proposal, which is based throughout on inclusivity and creating partnerships, our discussions with them focussed entirely on specific possibilities of collaboration between us - development work, use of facilities etc - rather that on any question of the new company being exclusively based in Swansea. While we look forward very much to building a relationship with Swansea, and other partnerships throughout Wales, we did not address ourselves to anything other than making the remit we were given a practical and viable reality. At the time, because the Sherman Theatre was also competing for the contract, and understandably had its own priorities, the Arts Council's preferred option of the new writing company being based at the Sherman Theatre did not seem viable, and Dalier Sylw was forced to look at other options, as did Made in Wales who put forward the possibility of Chapter as an alternative venue. When Dalier Sylw received notification of the panel's decision in its favour, the ACW stated that it was a "condition of grant" that we re-open negotiations with the Sherman Theatre, which have recently begun. Dalier Sylw's proposal is to create a new national company to promote and support new writing throughout Wales in both languages in partnership with other companies and institutions. Dalier Sylw was under the impression that it was this inclusive and collaborative approach, together with the company's "emphatic desire to work bilingually" which had impressed the panel. The new company, with a new name, board of management and additional staff, is to be launched after Dalier Sylw's last production, Radio Cymru by Wiliam Owen Roberts, which opens next week. We have already begun the process of accepting scripts from writers and developing partnerships with companies within and outside Wales. If it is the case that Michael Baker, bizzarly, dreamt up the "compromise" of Dalier Sylw being based at Swansea as a "tie breaker" between the companies, as Olwen Wymark has suggested according to Tuesday's Western Mail, then this calls into serious question, yet again, the management of the drama strategy by a key figure at the ACW. In the light of Ms Wymark's comments, we call on the ACW to ensure that all members of the panel openly give a full and frank account of proceedings so that the matter can be cleared up. Bethan Jones. Artistic Director. |
| Dalier Sylw web site: |
| Bethan Jones e-mail: |
Wednesday, March 22, 2000 |
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