Farmer Drama

Freelance Arts Trouble-Shooter

Unbelievably, I ended up spending 11 months at County Hall as Arts Partnership Manager, although the last five months I've been working part-time, gradually weaning myself back into the freelance world.  As I approached the end of my tenure, there seemed to be little work on the horizon.  However, just in the past two or three weeks several opportunities have arisen, including two scripts to write, two to direct, some freelance "arts trouble-shooting" and some drama teaching. 

Should the Arts Council be cut?

In the wake of the recent Arts Council cuts to 185 organisations, actors union Equity has launched a nationwide survey to discover members' views on how the funding system ought to work. The union is calling for a fundamental shift in the way ACE operates and is seeking views on how the funding system should be changed.  Take part in the online poll.

Winners and Losers

Organisations which received a reprieve from the Arts Council are the following 17 organisations:
African and Caribbean Music Circuit
Jacksons Lane
Arts Digest
Queer Up North
Northcott Theatre
Rideout (Creative Arts for Rehabilitation)
Bristol Old Vic
National Student Drama Festival
The Bush (Alternative Theatre Company)
Anvil Press
Arcadia Books
Harrogate Theatre
Film London
Orange Tree Theatre
Crafts Council
Eastern Angles
Birmingham Opera Company

The Arts Council Press Release puts a very positive spin on the new investment.  Good news for many but not for local organisations Creative Arts East and Norwich Puppet Theatre (who have been cut completely) and YPT companies Quicksilver Theatre and Pop-up who have lost a large amount of funding - just to mention a handful of the 185 organisations who will not have their funding renewed and 27 organisations who will have their funding reduced.

Savage Arts Council cuts go ahead

Breaking news: Arts Council England is going ahead with the majority of its planned cuts, which will bring a devastating end to funding for 185 organisations. A few were given a reprieve, including the Bush Theatre, London and Eastern Angles, Ipswich. Despite an extraordinary groundswell of support, Norwich Puppet Theatre is going to lose all its Arts Council funding. Protests have been taking place across the country against the swiftness and savagery of these cuts. On the bright side, three-quarters of the remaining 888 other organisations will enjoy at least inflationary increases.

Eastern Angles beats the Arts Council

There is hopefully good news for Ivan Cutting, director of one of the arts organisations affected by the recent Arts Council cuts.  Eastern Angles has been informed that there is hope of a change of tack by the Arts Council after it was suggested that it had been “forced in to a partial climbdown” in its decision to withdraw funding from scores of national organisations.

There is further hope that up to 25 organisations across the country may have their threatened cut rescinded following a meeting of the Arts Council Board tomorrow.  There have been national protests against the swiftness and sheer savagery of the Arts Council threatened cuts.  In the meantime the Norwich Puppet Theatre is waiting for news following a rush of groundroots support from people in the county. Norfolk County Council has also acted swiftly to soften the blow with a one-off £75,000 grant to help the theatre and other arts organisations affected. No decision has been announced as to how the money will be divided between the threatened organisations.

Video of the protest march

There is now a video available to watch of Saturday's protest march against the Arts Council cuts. This gives a good  flavour of the day and includes interviews with Peter Beck, organiser of the protest and Peter Wilson, executive director of the Theatre Royal, who has been unreservedly outspoken about the way in which the Arts Council has mismanaged this decision.  A decision about whether to make the cuts to the Puppet Theatre, Creative Arts East and Eastern Angles (among 194 targeted companies) is due to be made tomorrow.

Norwich Arts Protest

Well over 500 people attended the protest march on Saturday starting in Chapelfield Gardens Norwich with speeches from Peter Wilson (Norwich Theatre Royal), Dr Ian Gibson MP, Nicky Stainton (Creative Arts East), Ivan Cutting( Eastern Angles) and many others.  The crowd was protesting against the savage cuts proposed by the Arts Council of England aimed at highly popular organisations including Creative Arts East and the Norwich Puppet Theatre.

A 30 foot high puppet of Lord Nelson accompanied the march which included students from UEA, artists, actors, dancers, writers, lecturers, poets, puppeteers, musicians, civic leaders and families, led by the Norwich Samba Band.  For a full report and slideshow visit the Eastern Evening News.

Black hole appearing in Norfolk

Only five days to go before the BIG PUPPET PROTEST!!! So now there's a chance to actually do something about the arts cuts.  The march on Saturday 19th January is even being supported by an all-out campaign by the Eastern Evening News.

While members of the Board of Norwich Puppet Theatre may not be in support of public lobbying for fear of annoying the Arts Council, it seems the good burghers of Norwich have rallied to the cause.  Another organisation under threat, Creative Arts East, have said: 'This decision will help turn Norfolk into an arts black-hole where nothing will happen because the grassroots is not supported.'

The Arts Council recently received additional funding from the Department of Culture, but this money is being distributed among the big 'flagship' arts organisations such as The Royal Opera House and The Royal Shakespeare Company - this is great - but is it art for all? It is at the cost of smaller, community-based, regional arts organisations.

So come on - bang a drum!

Read flyer with full campaign details

Other useful links can be found here:

www.edp.co.uk
www.thestage.co.uk
www.devon.gov.uk
www.pegabovine.co.uk

Actors vote of no confidence in Arts Council

Last Wednesday, actors including Sir Ian McKellan, Joanna Lumley and Kevin Spacey  passed a motion of no confidence in the Arts Council England, in protest of new cost-cutting measures.

Members of the actors' union Equity are angry at the council's plans to cut the funding of nearly 200 organisations - the biggest shake up of arts funding in living memory.

Hundreds of angry actors convened at the Young Vic Theatre in London to hear why 194 arts organisations were told at Christmas they had five weeks to object to their funding being cut.

Equity's general secretary, Christine Payne, warned that the Arts Council's credibility was about to be "fundamentally and possibly irreparably damaged".

Petition the Prime Minister about the arts cuts

You can now sign an online petition to stop the cull of arts organisations at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Stop-the-Cull/

Please help!