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Press release from Theatre Powys on the cut to their funding |
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Theatr Powys provides a comprehensive artistic and educational programme for young people and the communities of Powys and Wales. A nationally and internationally recognised Theatre in Education (TIE) service to all age ranges of students in Powys schools, free of charge. Small scale national touring theatre in both the Welsh and English languages to community venues, arts centres and theatres. A service that ensures all members of our community has access to live theatre at affordable prices. The award winning Mid Powys Youth Theatre (MPYT) offers young people in Powys the opportunity to engage in year-round, ongoing drama workshops and to be part of the hugely popular annual production in collaboration with Wyeside Arts Centre. Schools, community groups and individuals in Powys enjoy access to the technical and costume resources of the Company, available throughout the year. This total provision has been developed over 26 years and owes much to the enormous support of Powys County Council in partnership with The Arts Council of Wales (ACW). The Company and its work is now deeply threatened The Arts Council of Wales has recently announced its new strategy for the funding of the arts in Wales. Theatre and arts educational practitioners throughout Wales condemned the draft Drama Strategy as "unworkable and will not deliver", and criticised the preceding consultation process as "totally inadequate". The Arts Council of Wales intends to cease funding the existing eight Company model of Theatre in Education provision in Wales at the end of March 2000 and establish a new openly advertised system of franchises. Theatr Powys, its Management Committee and other members of Powys County Council are deeply concerned that this new approach to theatre provision for young people in Wales will have serious implications for the quality of work currently available to Powys Schools. The Arts Council further proposes to "review" Community Touring Theatre in Wales. Details available suggest that there will be fewer Companies, less work and less variety of work available to those community venues that companies such as Theatr Powys have been servicing throughout their existence. Incredibly, last week Theatr Powys was informed that their revenue grants funding from The Arts Council of Wales for 1999/2000 is to be cut by ?29,000, based on the standstill award the Company received in the previous year. In a letter to the Company dated 23rd March 1999 ACW stated: "Given the strong public sector funding base that Theatr Powys receives, we feel that the Company is in a relatively secure position to sustain its operation until the end of March 2000 with reduced ACW funding." Theatr Powys is appalled that the historically strong partnership between ACW and Powys County Council is now being used as a reason to secure short term savings by ACW "in order to fund the 1999/2000 transitional year in drama policy". The letter further states that: "?The decision to support your company in 1999/2000 at the level indicated?is taken in the knowledge that one project may be lost and we regret this." Theatr Powys finds this situation entirely unacceptable. The Company has planned and contracted a year long programme of work and rejects the eleventh hour requirement to summarily rescind on agreements and to "go dark" for a period of 2 to 3 months. Theatr Powys is the only Company in Wales facing a cut, which has been announced with no reference whatsoever to Powys County Council. This decision if upheld would jeopardise the very partnership funding that ACW has stated its desire to protect and develop. It is notable that the recent press and media release from The Arts Council of Wales detailing their plans for this year and beyond, made absolutely no reference whatsoever to this savage reduction in Theatr Powys revenue grant for 1999/2000. The Company of course intends to appeal against this decision. We will continue our demand for a wide ranging consultation process; one that will truly draw on the experience, aspirations and views of arts practitioners and all of those who have an interest and involvement in drama and arts/education in Wales. The Company will fight tooth and nail to continue its broad provision of artistic and educational work in this community. We appreciate the support of Powys County Council, the schools, Mid Powys Youth Theatre and other people in the community. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Theatr Powys web site: |
| Ian Yeoman e-mail: Theatr.powys@powys.gov.uk |
Thursday, April 1, 1999 |
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