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June 1998 The Arts Council of Wales (ACW) published its consultation paper Building A Creative Society. This was ACW's largest-ever consultation: · over 2,000 documents were distributed and 20 public and arts sector meetings were held. By August, 1998, over 220 responses were received for consideration in determining strategic options. The overall objective of the strategy was to a develop a practical vision for the arts, following years of a reduction in ACW's own grant from what was then the Welsh Office and now the National Assembly for Wales (a loss of £4.3m between 1995 and 2001), and particularly following local government reorganisation. The review focused on all arts sectors, but it became clear that drama needed particular attention, because of problems: · Funding spread too thinly. ACW was supporting a large number of full time companies. For example, ACW supported 20 revenue drama clients with only four receiving more than £150,000 annually. This compares with the Scottish Arts Council's (SAC) eight revenue drama clients, seven of which receive more than £150,000 annually. (SAC receives almost double the funding of ACW.) · A network of Theatre-In-Education companies which was set up during the 1970's and 1980's based on the old eight county Local Education Authority structure. Local Authority reorganisation and other changes, i.e. the Local Management of Schools and the National Curriculum, resulted in the network experiencing severe problems of sustainability. September 1998 Specific consultation on Theatre for Young People began. 21 January 1999 ACW published its Draft Drama Strategy For Wales: Consultation Paper. A period of consultation followed and areas of proposed change identified. · responses showed a majority were in favour of change, particularly the need to fund fewer companies better. · there were 151 responses to the draft drama strategy. In addition, ACW officers attended 23 follow-up meetings. June 1999 The resulting Drama Strategy for Wales aims to address the need to support professional production of high artistic quality and the need to ensure access to that work throughout Wales. The strategy includes implementing: · creation of two Welsh National Performing Arts Companies; · Clwyd Theatr Cymru to produce and tour work of high artistic quality in English for touring and presentation across Wales as well as provising enhanced opportunities for Welsh artists; · a new Welsh language producing and touring theatre powerhouse with a national brief; · a new national framework to supply professional theatre tailored to the needs of young people; · further consideration of the roles of building based producers (Sherman Theatre, Cardiff and the Torch Theatre, Milford Haven); · focused support for new writing; · improved schemes for drama practitioners; · substantial long-term work opportunities for theatre artists. Summer 1999 As part of this strategy, ACW invited applications for five time limited Funding Agreements to develop Theatre for Young People as a national network across Wales. In June 1999 ACW advertised the availability of five fixed term funding agreements for Theatre for Young People. The closing date for submitting proposals was 12 September 1999. All interested parties were provided with additional information and clarification on the guidelines. As promised in the guidelines, additional points of clarification were circulated to all parties understood to be interested in applying. Increased funding to the South Wales Valleys ACW has a long standing commitment to increasing the proportion of funding going to the economically and socially deprived areas of the South Wales Valleys. There has been an imbalance in the past because of the lack of infrastructure in these areas. The five new franchises were a significant opportunity to take action to redress this imbalance, and the five areas for the franchises followed the European constituency boundaries since these are based on population, i.e. North, Mid & West, West Valleys, Mid Valleys and East Valleys. The decision to base three out of the five new companies in the valleys recognised the additional community benefit of having producing arts companies resident, not just visiting, these areas. These benefits are both social and economic and have an impact on social inclusion initiatives. Funding Total funding for the original eight companies was £888,000. However the companies had developed a remit wider than producing work for young people, and ACW estimated that £720,000 of its funding went to supporting core work for young people. January 2000 Following the awarding of the five franchises, ACW received representations from local government, politicians, the arts community, and the general public. ACW listened genuinely to all views, and it was clear that there was overwhelming opposition, possible legal challenges exposing administrative failings, and subsequently a clear need to rethink . In January 1999, ACW announced its intention to suspend the Theatre for Young People element of the Drama Strategy. Funding for the existing eight Theatre-in-Education companies was announced for three years from April 1 2000. Public Information ACW is happy to respond to any queries concerning its decisions within the limits of its Code of Conduct and the National Assembly for Wales' Code of Practice on Public Access to Information. For further information: Telephone Press Office, ACW 029 20376500 e-mail information@ccc-acw.org.uk |
| Arts Council of Wales web site: www.ccc-acw.org.uk |
| Press Office, Arts Council of Wales e-mail: information@ccc-acw.org.uk |
Friday, October 6, 2000 |
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