7th January 2008
Arts organisations across the East were left reeling this week with the proposal by the Arts Council of major cuts in funding. At a time when the Arts Council's recent public debate on the arts has highlighted a strong call for public funding to ensure that the arts touch the lives of the maximum number of people these proposed cuts seem to particularly disenfranchise rural audiences. All in all about half a million pounds is set to disappear from the arts in Norfolk.
The biggest casualty of the potential cuts in Norfolk is Creative Arts East which annually works with 30,000 people in rural communities delivering its Village Stage professional tours Village Screen touring cinema, as well as a broad community arts programme.
“Creative Arts East is an important strategic organisation which, over the five years of its existence, has become a valued and trusted part of the cultural landscape in Norwich and across Norfolk. It is poised to deliver exciting and ambitious new projects with statutory and commercial partners,” said its Director, Nicky Stainton.
Other organisations that deliver work outside Norwich who are facing total or 50% reductions from next April include Norwich Puppet Theatre, which annually tours to over 100 rural schools, Community Music East, Eastern Angles Touring Theatre and Commissions East. With the cutting of Tiebreak Theatre In Education company a few years ago this potentially signals the end for rural communities to see the work of good quality professional arts companies.
All the organisations affected have until January the 15th to prepare a submission to counter the Arts Council's proposals. “There seems to be an inconsistency between the funding decisions made for the East of England and the Arts Council's national policy, which has led to a 50% increase for the national umbrella body, the National Rural Touring Forum,” explained Nicky Stainton.
