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PRESS RELEASE … PRESS RELEASE … PRESS RELEASE …
Embargo – 10.30am, Tuesday 29 June 2010
Arts Council of Wales Announces New Strategy for the Renewal and Transformation of the Arts in Wales
Arts Council of Wales announced today the first phase of a major overhaul of its investment in the arts. Over the past year, the Council has been working on one of the most detailed funding reviews it has ever undertaken.
Announcing the outcome of the review, Arts Council of Wales Chair, Dai Smith said: “We’re acting today to keep the arts vibrant and strong for tomorrow. We’re taking bold decisions to ensure that the best of the arts in Wales thrives in the future. By making clear our priorities, investing funds where they’re most needed and deserved, we’re setting the foundations for the longer term success of the arts. We want the arts in Wales to thrive, not just survive. We’ll support work of quality and excellence in order to engage the widest possible audience across Wales, and to signal the vibrancy of contemporary Wales to the world.”
Features of the new strategy include:
• supporting a nation-wide network of organisations, working in English and in Welsh – from 2011/12, the Council is proposing to provide annual revenue funding to 71 organisations. They include a wide variety of organisations from orchestras, theatres and galleries, to arts centres, carnival and community arts organisations
• encouraging more people to develop their own creativity by taking part in the arts – the Council is investing in local communities, supporting arts activity that’s enjoyable, challenging and transformational. From Valleys Kids in Pen y Graig to Theatr Felinfach in Ceredigion, Rubicon Dance in Cardiff to Arts Connection in Powys, and Head for Arts in the south Wales valleys, we’re supporting organisations that make the arts part of people’s daily lives
• promoting Wales’s international reputation for dynamism, creativity and excellence – supporting a portfolio of companies who can represent the best of Wales on the world stage. International beacons of excellence – such as Artes Mundi, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Clwyd Theatr Cymru, and Welsh National Opera – whose work is rooted in Wales
• investing in the country’s economic, cultural and social renewal – funding the best and most entrepreneurial organisations in the arts, companies such as Aberystwyth Arts Centre and Galeri in Caenarfon who are growing audiences, creating new employment opportunities and making our towns, cities and communities better places to live and work
• breathing new life into the arts – from National Theatre Wales to NoFit State Circus to Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias, the Arts Council is backing new talent and innovation
• transforming the places in which people experience and enjoy the arts – award winning buildings from Chapter Arts to Ruthin Craft Centre to Mostyn in Llandudno, to Aberystwyth Arts Centre for present and future generations to enjoy by offering distinctive, high quality and welcoming facilities for the arts
• advocating new opportunities for young people to enjoy and develop their own creativity – from Community Music Wales to Theatr Iolo, from Arad Goch to National Youth Arts Wales we want more young people to get involved in the arts, formally and informally, in and out of school.
Sadly, today doesn’t only bring good news. 32 organisations (who are currently receiving annual revenue funding) will, from April 2011, see this arrangement end. They will be able to receive support from a transition programme, and in future will also be able to apply for project funding.
Council has had to reduce or discontinue funding to some so that it can properly support those who remain.
Dai Smith said: “We’ve looked carefully at what we can support. We started this process a long time ago. It’s never been about cuts, it’s been about using taxpayer’s money well. We’re not using the worsening economic climate as a convenient excuse, nor are we deflecting responsibility onto potential government funding cuts that might come at some point in the future. These are our decisions, and we take responsibility for them.”
In December, Arts Council of Wales hopes to learn the amount of funding it will receive for next year from the Welsh Assembly Government. At that juncture, individual funding allocations to the 71 organisations will be confirmed. The Council will also, at the same time, announce how it intends to reduce its own administrative and running costs.
The announcements come at a time of unprecedented pressure on public funding. Commenting on the situation, Prof Smith said: “We’re not naïve. Wales will have to make cuts in public spending, and the Assembly Government will have its own choices to make about its funding priorities. We hope to persuade them of the prime value of investing in the arts as a key social and cultural driver for twenty first century Wales.”
Ends
For more information, please contact Sian James, Press and Media Officer, Arts Council of Wales on 029 2044 1344 / 07812 801356 or email sian.james@artswales.org.uk
Notes to Editors
1. Arts Council of Wales’s is the country’s official body for funding and developing the arts.
2. Arts Council of Wales currently provides just over £23.5million to revenue funded organisations.
3. Arts Council of Wales also distributes funds from the National Lottery.
Summary of funding decisions
The following organisations have been included in the proposed portfolio of revenue funded organisations (RFOs) from April 2011:
Aberystwyth Arts Centre; Independent Ballet Wales; Taliesin Arts Centre; Arad Goch
(Theatre for Young People); Live Music Now (Live music programmes and workshops); Theatr Bara Caws (Welsh Language Community Theatre); Artes Mundi (International contemporary arts prize); Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre (Gallery); Theatr Brycheiniog; Arts Care (Community arts); Mid Wales Opera; Theatr Felinfach (Arts centre and community arts activity);
Arts Connection (Community arts); Mission Gallery; Theatr Ffynnon (Theatre for adults with learning difficulties and physical disabilities); BBC National Orchestra of Wales; Mostyn (Gallery); Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru (National Welsh Language theatre company);
Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias (Student development and music) within the community); Music Theatre Wales (Opera); Theatr Hafren; Chapter Arts Centre; National Dance Company Wales; Theatr Iolo (Theatre for young people); Clwyd Theatr Cymru (Theatre and production company); National Theatre Wales; Theatr Mwldan (Arts Centre); Clwyd Theatr Cymru Theatre for Young People; NEW Dance (Community arts); Theatr na n’Óg (Theatre for young people);
Community Music Wales (Community arts); NoFit State Circus; Torch Theatre (Theatre and production company); Cwmni’r Frân Wen (Theatre for young people); Oriel Davies (Gallery); Touch Trust (Arts programme for individuals with profound learning and physical disabilities)*;
Cyfnewidfa Lên Cymru (International Literature exchange); Oriel Myrddin (Gallery); Trac (Folk music development organisation); Dawns i Bawb (Community arts); Pontardawe Arts Centre; Tŷ Cerdd (Music information service network); Dawns Tan/TAN Dance (Community arts); Powys Dance (Community arts); Tŷ Newydd (National writers’ centre); Disability Arts Cymru (Training, information and advice organisation) Rhondda Cynon Taff Community Arts Venue Cymru
(Arts centre); Earthfall (Dance company); Rhondda Cynon Taff Theatres (Arts centres); Ucheldre (Arts centre); Ffotogallery; Riverfront, Newport (Arts Centre); Valley and Vale (Community arts); g39 (Gallery); Rubicon (Community arts); Valleys Kids (Community arts);
Galeri (Arts Centre); Ruthin Craft Centre; Volcano (Theatre company); Glynn Vivian Art Gallery; Sherman Cymru (Theatre and production company); Welsh National Opera;
Grand Theatre Swansea; Sinfonia Cymru (Chamber music); WJEC (National youth theatre, orchestra and bands); Head for Arts (Community arts); South Wales Intercultural Community Arts (SWICA Yr Academi (Literature Promotion Agency); Hijinx (Theatre company with adults with learning disabilities programme); St David’s Hall;
* Touch Trust is funded through a specific arrangement with the Welsh Assembly Government
Current revenue funding arrangements will end for the following organisations at the end of March 2011. They will be eligible for flexible funding for specific projects or programmes of work:
Audiences Wales (Marketing and Audience Development service provider); Fishguard Music Festival; Spectacle Theatre (Theatre for young people); Axis (Online resource for contemporary art); Gwent Theatre (Theatre for young people); Swansea Festival of Music and the Arts;
Beaufort Theatre; Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts; Theatr Harlech; Borough Theatre, Abergavenny; India Dance Wales (Dance company); Theatr Powys (Theatre for young people);
Community Arts Rhayader and District (CARAD); Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod; Vale of Glamorgan Festival; Community Dance Wales (Dance development agency); Newport Museum and Art Gallery; Voluntary Arts Wales (Umbrella body); Creu Cymru (Development agency); North Wales International Music Festival; Welsh Independent Dance (Dance development agency); Dance Blast (Community arts); Oriel Wrecsam (Gallery); Women’s Arts Association (Community arts); Drama Association of Wales (Amateur drama body); Pavilion Theatre Rhyl; Wyeside Arts Centre; Film Agency for Wales *; Safle (Public art agency);
*Film Agency for Wales (Lottery funded for film development and production);
Note: Brecon Jazz is funded through a separate arrangement.
Blackwood Miners Institute, BVSNW and Pontio were not assessed as part of the Investment Review process.
The following organisations currently receive flexible funding. They submitted a bid to become a new revenue funded organisation, but that bid was not successful.
Barry Memorial Hall and Theatre; Grand Pavilion Porthcawl (Theatre); Small World Theatre (Arts centre and community arts); Bl0c (Digital art); Locws International (Visual arts project); Sound Affairs (Jazz works); Cwmni Mega (Theatre company); Makers Guild / Craft in the Bay The Stiwt, Rhosllanerchrhugog (Arts centre); Engage (Gallery education programmes); Mappa Mundi (Theatre Company); Theatr Fforwm Cymru (Theatre company); Ensemble Cymru
(Chamber music); Migrations (Dance Festival); Ystradgynlais Miners Welfare Hall
