|
|
 |
| |
| Grant allows group to live another
day |
Black theatre company plan to take
on Arts Council
A LAST minute deal has secured the future of the country’s
leading black theatre company.
After protracted discussions with struggling company Talawa, the
Arts Council announced on Tuesday that it would give the company
£420,000 a year for the next two years.
But the money will not save the £7 million plan for a state-of-the-art
theatre half constructed on the site of the old Westminster Theatre,
in Victoria.
And the Arts Council has pledged to keep a careful eye on the company
and has threatened to withdraw the funding if anything goes awry.
The Arts Council made its decision after being satisfied with the
responses it received in September after it raised concerns with
the company regarding its management and direction.
A spokeswoman for the Arts Council said: “We had asked Talawa
to respond to our concerns relating to artistic, managerial, governance
and public benefit issues, and to submit robust plans for change.
“The company’s response, submitted to us as agreed in
September, is a clear plan moving forward which addresses actively
our concerns. It sets out a process for comprehensive board renewal
and recruitment of new artistic and executive leadership for the
company.”
She added: “We have therefore offered Talawa a revenue funding
agreement for April 2006 to March 2007, with an intimation of funding
for a further year, to March 2008, dependent on the company’s
progress against an agreed action plan.”
But is has been made clear that if the Arts Council feels the company
is not developing in the right direction, funding will be withdrawn.
The spokeswoman added: “This has the potential to be a positive
chapter for Talawa, but it will be a challenging year.
“We will regularly monitor the company’s progress and
it remains under notice that funding may be withdrawn.”
Just two weeks ago the West End Extra revealed that Talawa was seeking
a judicial review against the Arts Council after it withdrew a £4
million grant that had been earmarked for a state-of-the-art theatre.
Talawa was set up in 1986 and is Britain’s longest established
black theatre company.
They had hoped that their new home would be completed by March 2006
but building work has now ceased on the project and the solicitor
for Talawa confirmed that they were still pursuing a judicial review.
John Halford, from leading human rights legal firm Bindman and Partners,
said: “The claim has been filed with the court.
“This latest money is only concerned with revenue funding,
and not with the half-built theatre in Westminster.” |
|
Give power to the people
POST-war, early 1950s Britain was still experiencing food rationing
and was a disillusioning place for English gourmands. The war had
destroyed the restaurant trade and, with few exceptions, post-war
eateries made the worst of a bad situation.
FULL STORY
|
