Wyeside Arts Centre in Builth Wells has given a guarded welcome to news that it is to receive an extra £10,000 from Powys County Council this year. This one-off grant may not be enough to save the Wyeside from closure. It follows years of standstill funding from the Council, which represents a cut in real terms.
“We have been fighting to save Wyeside for a long time”, said Wyeside Director Guy Roderick. “We have been congratulated on our achievements by accountants and bank managers, luminaries from the business and arts sectors, the Arts Council, Investors in People, AMs, MPs, the Culture Minister, even the Prime Minister. But I regret to say Powys County Council has been reluctant to communicate with us.”
Over the past seven years Powys County Council has increased its core revenue support to Wyeside by just £2,295, in which time the cost of running Wyeside’s increased programme has gone up by around £100,000. While expressing his appreciation for the extra £10,000 this year, Mr Roderick pointed out that last year Powys cut approximately £6,000 of support to Wyeside when it cut its grant to a consortium of Mid Wales venues. Also the new grant has conditions that will cost more time and money, and Wyeside is already operating with less staff than most comparable venues. Councillor Gareth Morgan, who holds Powys’ portfolio for the Arts, has been reported in the press as requesting an investigation into Wyeside’s wages bill. “At last.” said Mr Roderick. “I hope Powys will be doing the same with all of its venues. It’s about time the Council found out for itself just how efficient Wyeside is and the value for money it offers. The Assembly has requested local authorities make fair comparisons. If they did that then I am convinced Wyeside’s future would be a lot more secure than it is right now.
In 2000 the Wyeside had accumulated debts of over £100,000, which it successfully paid off over six years without any additional public grants. “There were some tough decisions to be made, especially having to stop subsidising youth and community arts. But we had to save the centre for everyone and I am proud to say that we did.
“In the same year that we stabilised the company the Arts Council was given a huge amount of money from the Assembly to match the sums going into the new Millennium Centre. The Arts Council could have given every venue in Wales about £45,000 each which would have meant more people in Wales could have better access to more, higher quality arts. But instead they gave lots more to fewer venues. Despite all its successes, Wyeside was not given an extra penny.”
A visit from the Arts Council’s senior finance officer in 2006 praised Wyeside’s financial management as “best practice” and acknowledged that the Centre’s staffing is “at a bare minimum”. He confirmed that the financial difficulties meant there were serious doubts as to whether Wyeside would reach its 30th birthday, in 2008. “More arts centres are under threat because of the increasing financial pressure on local authorities and arts councils”, said Mr Roderick. “But some countries have recognised the contributions the arts can make to people and their communities, as well as education, health and social welfare. They have realised they are worth investing in. Thankfully it’s now on the political agenda in Wales. Hopefully there will be a time soon when people realise there is as much value in ensuring people have access to the arts as they do libraries and sports centres.”
The Wyeside Arts Centre has only been offered a temporary solution to a serious problem. “The solution isn’t expensive, particularly compared the considerable sums that other venues receive in public subsidy. I very much hope that everyone who has enjoyed and benefited from the services Wyeside has provided over the years will support us now in campaigning to save this special arts centre.” |
