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Hijinx Theatre company under threat from the Arts Council funding cuts |
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Hijinx Theatre, the only professional english-language touring theatre company in Wales committed to visiting small communities and centres for people with learning disabilities, is under threat of closure The company, based in Cardiff Bay, has been running for 18 years and has built up an excellent reputation for taking quality drama to people who do not have easy access to standard theatre and productions The company's last tour, in the autumn of 1998, involved 45 performances of All the Sundays in May, written and directed by Firenza Guidi , to capacity audiences throughout Wales and England But the Arts Council of Wales recently unveiled a consultation document stating its new vision for drama in Wales , which involves increasing its funding to two national theatre companies (Clwyd Theatr Cymru and Theatre Gwynedd, who will be developed as de facto National Theatre companies for Wales in English and Welsh respectively). The funding for this new strategy depends on many of the existing revenue clients, Hijinx included, loosing their entire WAC revenue support. Hijinx relies on the Arts Council for the main body of its funding, so this development has flung the theatre into a whirl of confusion as to how it can survive into the future. Co-founder of the company and artistic director Gaynor Lougher said, "The Arts Council is our core funder and with out them we will die" Lowri Jones, publicity and tour booking officer for the company, explained that the proposals to cut their funding had perplexed them on two counts. "Firstly the Arts Council have always praised our work and appreciate the importance of what we do. They are not cutting our funding because there has bee a drop in the quality of the work we do, so we don't really understand their decision" "Secondly, we only received the consultation document notifying us of the proposal at the end of January, which gives us six months to find alternative funding, which is not time at all especially as we won't find out for definite until the end of April" She said it would have been fairer to have at least given them more notice. Ms Lougher said, "We do not see the Arts Council as the enemy, and have always had a god working relationship, but it surprises us that they have not seen fit to consult with us in a way that would help us survive" "Everyone in the arts knows that there's no such thing as funding for life, but the way the way this has happened to us is totally shocking" The Arts Council proposes a shift from revenue funding to financing individual projects instead. Hijinx fears this will not be enough to ensure their survival. The Arts Council logic is to create a new and strong foundation for theatre in Wales by funding fewer companies better A spokesman from the Arts Council said, "We are not in a position to comment on individual cases as we are waiting the response from the consultation" Hijinx has worked hard over the years to bring live entertainment to villages where people would have to travel a long distance to go to the theatre, and to urban communities that, for different reasons, are not part of the theatre-going public, as well as touring to centres for adults with learning disabilities Although they try to visit new places, many locations are regulars on the company's tours and Ms Lougher believes they have seen their audience develop over the years. "Theatre opens people's eyes wider and changes their lives. It taps into people's imaginations. And it can bring people together. The idea of a night out as a community, as something to experience together, is quite unique". She recalls that the first time the company visited the Newport Gateway centre for adults with learning disabilities, half of them preferred to go outside and play football. The second time Hijinx visited, everyone at the centre stayed to watch the play, and they have continued to have capacity audiences ever since Ms Lougher said, "It is out audiences that will loose out, which is very sad because the audiences have always been at the heart of everything we have done, and we are outraged on their behalf" |
| Hijinx Theatre web site: www.hijinx.org |
| Gaynor Lougher e-mail: |
Wednesday, February 24, 1999 |
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