Disgrace at the Arts Council
I have had a few shocks this weekend. A neighbour has run off with a girl half his age and left his wife and four children. My old friend Kevin Henriques, arts sub extraordinaire on the FT, cricket and jazz lover, has been found dead in his flat. I looked at the drinks bill for my son’s thirtieth birthday lunch in Terence Conran’s Orrery restaurant in Marylebone.
But nothing has been quite so shocking as the news of what the Arts Council plans to do next spring, cutting funds for the Bristol Old Vic, the Northcott in Exeter, the London Bubble, the Yvonne Arnaud in Guildford, and the National Student Drama Festival.
Of course unpopular decisions have to be made from time to time. But the treatment of the theatres in Bristol and Exeter is particularly disgraceful: the Old Vic is the oldest working theatre in Britain and has been brought to its knees by bad management, a bad board, and bad artistic appointments: it is the Arts Council’s duty to rectify this situation, not endorse it.
And Exeter and Guildford, both theatres dating from the brave new world of subsidised reps in the mid 1960s, should be treasured, not trashed by the funding nonentities who decide these things.
Some fat bloke from the South West branch of the Arts Council, commenting on the fact that the Northcott has been closed for a £2.1m refurbishment, partly funded by the Arts Council itself, said he had “concerns in a number of areas” and that the Northcott audience, though loyal, was “static.”
Apparatchiks and middle management freeloaders are always anxious to manipulate an audience to their own PC fantasies and knackered, do-gooding ideologies. If I was a member of the “static” Northcott audience, I’d mobilise myself and my fellows immediately and go round to the fat bloke’s house and rearrange his furniture.
The Northcott is damned lucky to have had Ben Crocker as its artistic director these past ten years, and Crocker at least deserves the chance to kick on with the Northcott in the new building. I’m glad to see that local MP Ben Bradshaw is right behind him.
As for Guildford, that’s another example of Arts Council “trendiness,” suspicious of any venue that smacks of commercial success rather than experimental failure. I dare say the fat blokes think that the Guildford audience is “static” in a similar way to the one in Exeter with the additional objection that well known actors sometimes appear on the stage there.
What they don’t care about is the historical significance of a theatre like Guildford, and its essential function of cultural provision in an area that has already lost such local theatres as the Redgrave at Farnham and the Adeline Genee at East Grinstead.
The London Bubble Theatre Company has been a unique touring outfit in London parks and schools for several generations and has always maintained high standards and a quick response to changing realities in education and society.
Richard Eyre wrote in th Guardian on Saturday that the arts must invest taxpayers’ money in evolving “a strategy that enbraces the departments of both culture and education to invest in the performers and the audiences of the future.” So doing away with something like the London Bubble will really help towards achieving that clearly correct and admirable objective, won’t it?
And as for the National Student Drama Festival, that really is spoiling the ship for a ha’porth of tar and sounds merely stupid as well as vindictive. THe NSDF has been a seedbed of talent for years and hosts an utterly unique confluence of students, professionals and journalists that should be the envy of the world, not the object of the fat blokes’ scorn.
What with all this and the troubles at the Derby Playhouse I’m beginning to feel positively depressed. I shall have to go and see another pantomime, unless the Arts Council find a way of closing down all the subsidised theatres that put them on at this time of year. And that wouldn’t surprise me one jot.
December 19th, 2007 at 11:01 am
I have just read your article with reference to the Arts cuts which is very disturbing and depressing, what is annoying is that they have chosen this time to announce the cuts, over the Christmas period when there are so many things happening and such a short time to take any action to lobby them, the MPs are on holiday until January the 7th..
In some cases it might be down to bad management, however the Council should help and advise the management, not remove a facility that is used and loved by the public. It really beggars belieive,how does some bloke and his cohorts get to be in such position of power? I had my run ins with South west Arts some twenty years ago,they were incompatent then, obviously nothing changes. Equity should start causing a fuss,along with Bectu, mind you they are both pretty wet. I have written to Angela Browing my MP who has already made a statement about The Northcott as has Ben Bradshaw, mind you with Barbera Hodge in the the job for Goverment i don’t suppose that she will listen. As you said the Reddgrave was allowed to go,the whole thing is a travetsy.
December 21st, 2007 at 1:11 am
O come on guys, we all know the Northcott is s##t! The programing over the last few years has been less appetizing than soggy cardboard. When was the last time you honestly saw something that really blew your mind? If so, you obvisiously don’t get out much to see great directors at work. This is just the kind of kick up the backside the artistic director needs. Look what Nic Hytner has done to the National - the man’s a genius. It’s all about who’s in charge. Yes, The National has huge subsidies, but Mr. Hytner has imagination, something an artistic director on a miniscule budget can still win with.
At the Northcott, it’s only the odd touring company that gives you something to think about - like Out of Joint theatre company - which brings decent stuff to people too far out of London so I guess in that respect it’s a shame the theatre closes. You can’t deny the fact that the theatre has an ageing audience (check the box office stats) that have been pandered to for far too long. I’m not saying turn the Northcott into some experimental producing/receiving house (the Pheonix can do that) but give us something to get excited about at least! I’m a firm believer in keeping the classics alive but produce them with energy and excitement. And give us some new writing and visiting directors. I speak from the younger generation who are fed up of being called the audience of tomorrow - I want to be the audience who is considered today, one who is left enthused, amazed and inspired, not falling asleep by the end of Act 1!
I feel gutted for the staff and it’s pretty harsh the way the Arts Council has done this but it sounds like it didn’t come without warning. I don’t want the theatre to close because I see the potential it has to be a truly fantastic regional theatre entertaining and educating a wide spectrum of people whose taxes support it, not just the middle class/middle age group.
Discover some dynamism Northcott management (your staff I’m sure will agree you need it) and your theatre will be saved.
Good luck!
December 24th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Hear, hear Michael. What about an Arts Council which values art in all its forms, recognises that different work affects different people in different ways and is more inspired by quality of work than fads, fashion, and bums on seats. Britain has a wonderful theatre tradition and ‘traditional’ theatre (as ACE may call it) should be celebrated and funded appropriately. We haven’t neglected to see the wonder amd power in the works of the Great Masters because of contemporary art. The two must sit happily side by side.
It seems that ACE is intent on destroying regional theatre as we know it in this country, as well as bullying non-professional Boards into making decisions that ACE wants. We should be protecting those companies being run by true artists rather than business people who talk the ‘management speak’ that ACE seems to be embracing and advocating (and taking action to achieve in some instances).
And what about actually appointing Arts Officers who actually go and SEE the work that they have the power to trash? Oh, and giving the companies involved a fair opportunity to defend themselves against or at least respond to the challenges ACE are suddenly, without warning, (and, I believe, aginst their own disinvestment policy) giving them. But then, that wouldn’t be the Arts Council would it… If only tax payers really knew what was happening to their money. On which note, How much did ACE spend on their huge ‘Arts Debate’ campaign this year which managed to receive a total of just over 1200 contributions from the public (most of whom probably worked in the arts anyway) - that’s contributions - not people, by the way. And they talk about public engagement…. Perhaps they should look to themselves.
January 12th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
I have just hard about the closure of the Northcott theatre in the Express & Echo. I do hope the Arts Council in Exeter and London will reconsider to keep the Northcott theatre open for future productions and not close down this beautiful theatre in Exeter. Their must be some way the Arts Council can fund the Northcott without closing it down for good and never re-open it again.
I’m also just thinking about how many people will be made redundant if you the Arts Council decided to close down this theatre. I enjoyed the Northcott theatre and have been in couple of shows myself believe it or not?. I also go out and support the professional shows as well at the Northcott and Rougmont Gardens much better than waiting for a train or a bus that never arrives on time to see shows at the other professional theatres like Plymouth or Torquay.
I remember when I saw my first production at the Northcott theatre when I was very young it was called Pirates of Penzance, I remember Pirates and Penzance very well back then.
I have notice the improvements of the Northcott theatre over the years by grants from the Arts Council, I must say Arts Council it is one of the attractive theatres in the country as a person from Exeter, as you can see what I mean.
Exeter theatre experience will be gone for ever, if you the Arts Council decided to close this Northcott theatre, I know we still got the Branfiled theatre but that’s not the same as the Northcott theatre with amateur and professional productions that I do enjoy, I will be happy to pay £15 or £17 to see a show their than the other theatres. The other theatres must be having a laugh on the Northcott that we only have 10 days to save it from the Arts Council for closure. Don’t let the other theatres like Plymouth or Torquay cashing in with the profits let the Northcott decided on its own fait and freedom.
Maybe something else on the Arts Council lists for 2009 to close down the Plymouth or Torquay theatres ?. If so what will their reaction will be?.
Richard B.
Exeter England
January 17th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Please could you spare a few minutes to help us save the Wyeside Arts Centre?
Wyeside faces enforced closure this year. We don’t understand the reasons why.
Would you please consider signing this online petition to Wales’ Minister for Heritage, Rhodri Glyn Thomas? Click on the link below.
www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-wyeside-arts-centre.html
If you know of anyone who would also be willing to support us by signing our petition, would you please forward this email to them?
Letters to the Minister supporting the appeal would add significant weight to the campaign. If you wish to send a letter please include your name and address to ensure a reply. A copy to us would be appreciated, or we can forward your letter for you.
His email address is: rhodri.thomas@wales.gov.uk..
His postal address is: National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, CF99 1NA.