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A major project to chart a stronger future for English language theatre in Wales will start next week following the formation by the Arts Council of Wales of a new Theatre Steering Group. The group, which includes several of Wales’s leading theatre practitioners, aims to deliver a set of development proposals to the Council by July. ACW has also appointed one of the UK’s leading arts consultants, Peter Boyden, to consult with the theatre community and to develop draft plans for the group. Two years ago he carried out a review of regional theatre throughout England for the Arts Council of England. The group includes two leading Welsh writers, Ed Thomas and Charles Way; Richard Hogger, Director of Creu Cymru, an agency working for the main network of theatre venues in Wales; Gaynor Lougher, Artistic Director of Hijinx Theatre and Fern Smith of Volcano Theatre; Hamish Glenn, currently Artistic Director of Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre, who previously ran the Dundee Theatre and is a former chairman of the Federation of Scotish Theatre; ACW’s Chief Executive, Peter Tyndall; Sandra Wynne, ACW’s senior officer for drama and Chris Ricketts, Director of Wales Arts International. It will be chaired by ACW’s Chairman, Geraint Talfan Davies. The consultant, Peter Boyden, who will assist the group will consult closely with all sectors of the theatre community over the next three months. The initiative follows two other significant theatre developments in Wales over recent years; increased funding for Theatre in Education and the formation of a Welsh language national theatre, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru. “Despite the reservoirs of talent that exist here, theatre in Wales has suffered over decades from a lack of consistent policy and investment. It is time we got it right and mapped out a clear path for long-term development. This is the challenge facing the group,” said Geraint Talfan Davies. “This is not another strategy exercise but an attempt to draw up practical, realisable proposals for strengthening the ecology of the whole theatre sector in Wales. We will be starting this task with no preconceptions or pre-ordained solutions. We want what is right for the theatre and for audiences across Wales,” he added. The Minister for Culture, Alun Pugh, is backing the project. “I am very glad that this work is under way. The place of theatre in Wales’s artistic life has been a matter of concern and debate for many years. That is why I have announced extra money for the theatre. But it is not simply a question of money. I have asked the Arts Council, in developing their plans, to address the production capacity of theatre companies in Wales, the supply of quality product to our network of venues as well as the needs of young audiences. I look forward to seeing the results of the steering group’s work,” he said. The brief for the work asks the group: To develop practical proposals for strengthening the ecology of English language theatre in Wales - including theatre for young audiences - and increasing the range, quantity and quality of indigenous production. In doing so, to have regard for ß the needs of diverse audiences in every part of Wales ß the programme needs of new and established venues ß the need for theatre for young audiences ß present strengths and weaknesses in the indigenous production base ß the full range of theatre practice ß the place of new writing ß the need to ensure a full, creative connection with the rest of world theatre & the need to ensure artistic and financial sustainability. Rosemary Butler, Chair of the Culture Committee said: "As Chair of the Culture Committee, I have taken a very close interest in the debate on the future of English language theatre in Wales. I greatly welcome this initiative by the Arts Council. I'm pleased that they have agreed to look at what is best for theatres and audiences in Wales, and don't have a fixed agenda. I also welcome the commitment to wide consultation, as the success of the proposals will depend on getting buy-in from the theatre community in Wales. The evidence given during the Committee's review of Welsh writing in the English language has highlighted the lack of opportunities for Welsh writers to have new work performed. The Committee will be very interested in the work as it develops, and will look forward to making an input into the debate." Theatre Steering Group - Membership Geraint Talfan Davies (Chair) Chairman of ACW. He was Controller of BBC Wales from 1990 – 2000 and Chairman of Welsh National Opera and a member of the Board of the Wales Millennium Centre from 2000 until his appointment to the Chair of ACW in April 2003. Hamish Glen Artistic Director and Chief Executive of The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry. He took up his post at Coventry last year after 11 years as Artistic Director of The Dundee Rep Theatre. During that time he also directed in many European countries and was, for seven years, chairman of The Federation of Scottish Theatre. Richard Hogger Director of Creu Cymru, an agency based in Aberystwyth representing a network of venues throughout Wales. He has been both the Drama Officer and Director, Performing Arts for the Eastern Arts Association and from 1990-1996 was first director of the Theatre Royal, Bury St. Edmunds and then Chief Executive of the Everyman Theatre at Cheltenham. Gaynor Lougher Founder member and Artistic Director of Hijinx Theatre Company, a leading community theatre company based in Cardiff. She has been in theatre for 25 years, first as an actor and now as a director and active commissioner of new work. Hijinx has a commitment to creating accessible theatre for small, often marginalised communities, including adults with learning disabilities. Chris Ricketts Director of Wales Arts International, ACW’s joint venture with the British Council. He has been responsible for many theatre exchanges between Wales and other countries. Before joining ACW he was, successively, director of Theatr Brycheiniog, General Manager of Everyman Theatre, Liverpool and of Clwyd Theatr Cymru. He is a past chairman of the Wales Association of the Performing Arts and a former trustee of the Centre for Performance Research at Aberystwyth. Chris Ryde Equity’s Officer for Wales. He is also Chairman of the Wales Association for the Performing Arts and Cardiff Arts Marketing. He has worked for Equity in London and the south East as well as Wales. Before that he worked in advertising and in the commercial theatre. He is a Fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Fern Smith Co-founder and Artistic Director of Volcano Theatre Company, the most prominent of Wales’s experimental theatre companies. Fern Smith has been a core performer and teacher for the company since it was formed. Volcano is based in Swansea. In addition to working as a freelance performer she has directed projects for Oxford Youth Theatre, Lyric Theatre Hammersmith Summer School and Trafford Tanzi for The Network, a consortium of middle-scale English venues. She has recently been running workshop residencies in Kazakhstan and Croatia. Ed Thomas Ed Thomas is a Director of Fiction Factory, a theatre, film and television company based in Cardiff. He has written extensively for theatre, film and television. Credits include 'House of America,' 'Mind to Kill,' 'Satellite City,' 'Gas Station Angel' and 'Dal:Yma/Nawr.' His work has won numerous awards and been translated into eight languages. Peter Tyndall Chief Executive of ACW since 2001. He was previously Head of Education, Training and Cultural Affairs for the Welsh Local Government Association. Charles Way Playwright. He has written more than 40 plays, many of which have been translated into several European languages and performed all over the world. Based in Abergavenny, he has worked with many Welsh theatre companies, and is an acclaimed writer for children. He is currently writing plays for the National Theatre in London and Imagination Stage in Washington. He is a member of the Writers’ Guild. Sandra Wynne Senior Arts Development Officer (Drama) for ACW. After some years working in theatre stage management, she became Regional Officer of North Wales Arts Association. Before taking up her current post she was ACW’s Access Director. She was ACW’s lead officer in the task of forming Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru. |
| Arts Council of Wales web site: www.artswales.org.uk |
| Iestyn Davies e-mail: iestyn.davies@artswales.org.uk |
Monday, March 8, 2004 |
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