The Stage

ACW’s £2m proposal to provide arts within 45mins

Published Tuesday 28 September 2004 at 12:20 by Liz Thomas

Arts Council Wales has announced plans to spend an extra £2 million on funding for arts organisations working outside Cardiff with the aim that no one will be more than 45 minutes away from top-class arts provision.

Its latest consultation paper - Performing Arts in Wales - Complementing the Work of the Wales Millennium Centre - outlines plans to increase the public’s access to performances by strengthening existing venues, making provisions to increase the number and quality of productions and increasing provision for greater cross-border touring. During 2005/6, £1 million is to be distributed to venues, with a further million to be made available in 2006/7. The extra money has been provided after an increase from Welsh Assembly Government funding.

ACW chief executive Peter Tyndall said: “This investment is one of the most important developments in the arts in Wales for a generation. It will ensure that audiences throughout Wales can experience excellence in the performing arts and ensure that Welsh actors, dancers and musicians are using their creativity to many more of the people of Wales.

“Through in-depth consultation, we have sought to apply ourselves to the strategic vision of access to a high-quality arts venue for everyone in Wales. It is our aim that no one will be more than 45 minutes away from a top-class theatre, arts centre or gallery.”

It is hoped that venues benefiting from the funding will improve the availability of performing arts in local areas and contribute to the development of arts in Wales as a whole. The proposals identify towns such as Bangor, Milford Haven, Caernarfon and Newport as areas that could be developed into regional ‘arts hubs’, leading to increased accessibility to quality theatre, dance and music productions.

The cash will also extend ACW’s successful Night Out programme, which helps local organisations bring professional performances into the community at subsidised prices.

•Arts Disability Wales will relaunch with a new name in Swansea on October 20. The organisation will now be known as Disability Arts Cymru.