|
Dateline:
10th February, 2008
ACW Cuts Abertystwyth's CPR
The Centre for Performance Research, based at Aberystwyth University,
is to have its funding withdrawn by the Arts Council of Wales (ACW).
The CPR is, its website says, CPR is a multi-faceted organisation based
in West Wales which produces and presents innovation in theatre and
performance and develops understanding, practice and knowledge through
participation, training, international exchange and dissemination. It
organises the International Giving Voice Festival which brings
to Wales practitioners from all over the world, to share skills and
methods and celebrate the art of the voice. The Fetival is, it says,"
a key ingredient of CPR’s programmes of workshops, performances
and events that provide a special resource for both the profession and
audiences in Wales."
The Festival runs from 27th March to 1st April.
A statement from the CPR on the cut reads:
Instead (of revenue funding which will be cut from July), the Arts
Council of Wales (ACW) is offering CPR the opportunity to compete
for project funding on an occasional basis without acknowledging that
the lack of ACW revenue support could compromise CPR’s relationship
and partnership funding with Aberystwyth University. It also inevitably
limits the work that CPR can do, and jeopardises the infrastructure
that allows CPR to develop and promote an exciting programme with
the lead time that international work requires; in the field of labour
relations, a proposal as unrealistic as this could be construed as
‘constructive dismissal’.
It is difficult to understand the logic of ACW’s decision in
the context of its recently published plan to establish an English-language
National Theatre for Wales on a federal basis, for which it desires
innovation, an international perspective and a rigorous training policy.
In terms of knowledge, experience and contacts developed over thirty
years of work, CPR is extremely well-placed to foster international
connections and provide research, development and training that utilises
the skills of the best theatre practitioners available from across
the world.
However, arguments of merit, artistic or otherwise, would appear
to be disallowed as grounds for appeal within the formal terms of
the ACW’s appeals procedure, wherein whether there is a case
for appeal is, in the first instance, judged solely by ACW Chief Executive
(currently Peter Tyndall), who was of course involved in the original
decision-making process.
Despite this, in preparing for the appeal, at this extremely difficult
and precarious moment for CPR, we would greatly welcome hearing from
those wishing to write in support, encouragement and advocacy of the
value and integrity of our work - past, present and future.
|A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z|
News
Archive A-L
News Archive M-Z
Production News Archive
Please note that all three Archive
indices are very long and will therefore take some time to download.
|
