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THE Arts Council of Wales yesterday unveiled its vision for new writing for Welsh theatre. Dalier Sylw will become the bilingual powerhouse of new writing, forcing the closure of Made in Wales. The Sherman Theatre Company will be unaffected by the decision. Funding for the company will effectively be a cut in resources for new writing - from £240,000 to £170,000 - as the arts quango grapples with budgetary restraints. All sides involved in the decision accept that the initiative is a result of having to save money. Bethan Jones, artistic director of Dalier Sylw, said, “It is exciting. But any cut is a cut and there is no hiding from that. We wish the money was more. We are not happy that money to new writing in both languages has been cut.” Jeff Teare, artistic director of Made in Wales, which will effectively close on Saturday, said, “What is fundamentally obvious is that they [ACW] are only setting up a bilingual company to save money. That is appalling for both the Welsh language and the English language. “Dalier Sylw will struggle to produce work in English and Welsh on the money they have received.” Mike Baker, art form development director at the arts quango, said, “The whole principle was to concentrate resources across both languages. Unfortunately, that meant funding fewer companies.” Dalier Sylw, which will consider a change of name to reflect its bilingual status, will put great emphasis on collaboration with other theatre companies, inside and outside Wales. “We have always been interested in working bilingually. It is not a new concept for us.” The base for the new company is yet to be decided, but the Arts Council is keen that it be the Sherman. The possibility of a move to Swansea’s Grand Theatre, which is interested in housing the new company, has not been ruled out. “Our proposal is a national structure. It is not just a new writing house based in Cardiff for Cardiff.” The English language side of the theatre company will be run by writer and director Simon Harris. “I would like to think they [the Arts Council] were interested in developing a new artistic approach, although I have my suspicions that the first point is that it is going to save them some money,” said Ms Jones. Jeff Teare said it was a shock to get five days’ notice of closure. “We just lock the door and walk away I suppose. “The Arts Council is saying that we could not run a bilingual theatre company. We did not want to run a bilingual company - that was the Arts Council’s idea.” Mr Baker said the decision was not a reflection on the quality of work produced by any of the three companies. “We are not saying any of the three companies were not doing a good job. This is part of a bigger picture, of us not being able to fund as many companies.” In an effort to deflect criticism that the cut in money will result in fewer commissions, ACW has given the Writers’ Guild of Wales a guarantee of a minimum number of commissions. “We have given an undertaking to the Writers’ Guild that we review funding over the course of the year. But I cannot give any guarantee it will rise,” said Mr Baker. “We think it is important to look across the spectrum of theatre companies. We are going to guarantee that all theatres guarantee new writing commissions as part of their contract.” |
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Tuesday, February 22, 2000 |
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