North Yorkshire council plans to cut arts funds by 80%

North Yorkshire County Council is proposing to cut its arts budget by £115,000 from April, significantly reducing subsidies to Harrogate Theatre, Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre, the Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond and Rural Arts.

Under the proposals, NYCC’s overall arts budget will drop from £145,000 to £30,000. In a statement, it added that a fifth arts organisation, Blaize, which had received funding in 2010/11, would not be supported in the next financial year. The proposed cut will go before the full council in a meeting on February 16.

The news follows the drop in the council’s central government funding, announced in December, which has forced it to make savings of more than £57 million over the next two financial years.

NYCC’s statement concludes: “It is against this backdrop that difficult budget decisions have to be taken. The county council recognises the valuable economic, social and cultural benefits that are delivered by the arts organisations in question.

“As a result, it has striven to maintain a degree of funding for arts organisations in the face of an extremely challenging financial settlement for the county council.”

Harrogate Theatre chief executive David Bown said his venue’s annual subsidy would be cut from £63,000 to £10,000 from April, which represents a reduction of 85%. Speaking to The Stage, Bown said at a consultation meeting last summer, a number of arts organisations had told NYCC that the tipping point for funding cuts would be a reduction of 10% in the first year.

He pointed out that the theatre will also have to cope with a 8.7% real-terms cut in its Arts Council England subsidy in 2011/12. It was also one of the organisations to suffer most severely during ACE’s last round of funding decisions in 2007, with its annual support reduced from £400,000 to £150,000.

If the proposal is taken up by the council, Bown said there would be redundancies at the theatre and its education services would become vulnerable.

“The priorities that North Yorkshire [County Council] have that we were delivering against, ironically, are the things that are going to suffer here - rural outreach and education in particular,” he said.

“It will certainly affect artistic delivery in some form.”

Chris Monks, artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre, said: “Although we have had a communication from NYCC, the extent of our funding cut has not been confirmed and we are still lobbying the council before the announcement on February 16.

“We are prepared to take our fair share of the pain associated with the Coalition’s financial policies.

“However, the signs point towards a loss of investment from local and national sources, which can only lead to the demise of theatre companies and the closure of buildings.”

Source: The Stage

Win an exclusive print of your favourite painting

With some of the finest collections of oil paintings in the country, museums and galleries in Yorkshire have something for everybody. This year many of these paintings are available to view online for the first time and to celebrate Dig Yorkshire would like you to take part in this project to make the most of the fabulous art on your doorstep.

They are offering you a chance to win an exclusive print of your favourite painting by telling them why you like it and where you'd like to hang it. The most enthusiastic and popular entries will be selected and the winners announced in March. You can post your entry on Facebook and encourage your friends to vote for you, or send them a customised e-card.

Dig Yorkshire have already asked people to help create a shortlist of favourite paintings in Yorkshire. There are all kinds of paintings on the list which people love for different reasons.

You can see all the competition entries so far and select the story you think should win. Dig Yorkshire will keep you up-to-date on Twitter with the latest and most popular entries. You can also vote in some of the museums and galleries taking part.

They have put together trails to help you to visit these beautiful paintings. You can customise your trail to your mood or the paintings you like best or the museums and galleries nearest you. How about the love trail? The local heroes? A bit of escapism?...

Get involved and help celebrate Yorkshire's favourite paintings. Get the picture.


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1812 Theatre Company - Newsletter - 02/2011

Dear All,

As this is the first newsletter of the year may I wish you all a belated happy new year.

First, I have to tell anyone who will be visiting The Old Meeting House that it is not for the time being possible to enter by the usual route. Building work is going on in the entrance and the booking office, so that for the time being it will be necessary to access the bar via the auditorium.

"Mother Goose" seems to have been enjoyed by all (I fear the snow stopped me) but everyone concerned had a horrendous time travelling and struggling to get all the items necessary to get the set built and the show on and they all deserve our heartfelt thanks.

The first show of the year is Richard Noakes' compilation of Pinter pieces, "Pinter's Greatest Hits", which runs from Wednesday 2nd March to Friday 4th March in the bar. As the bar seats only 40 early booking is advised. You may be interested to know that Richard will be talking about the show with Russell Walker on Radio York on Saturday 26th February.

We had our Annual General Meeting on Monday last to which about 20 members turned up. After wine, nibbles and a chat we settled down to the business of the evening. Our Chairman reviewed the last year and set out plans for this. We have decided to hold a play reading/ social evening before the audition for each show. Apart from being a pleasant evening it will mean that anyone interested in reading at the audition will not come to the audition cold. The first such evening will be held prior to the audition for "Oh, Clarence" (which is based on "Blandings Castle" by P G Wodehouse) on Monday, 18th April. David Goodwin is directing so fun is assured.

That's it for now.

Find out more about the 1812 Theatre Company.

Cinema: 'The American' - showing 9 February

Academy Award winner George Clooney stars in the title role of this suspense thriller, filmed on location in Italy. Alone among assassins, Jack is a master craftsman. When a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, he vows to his contact that his next assignment will be his last.

Watch the trailer:


Get your tickets here.

This Saturday: Feb 5th - The Tom McConville Big Band

The Newcastle fiddle player, Tom McConville, is one of the leading folk fiddle players of our time. A virtuoso musician and fantastic singer, his rich, warm voice makes his interpretations of traditional and contemporary songs greatly admired by singers throughout the world. He has played on literally hundreds of albums and whilst he has shared stages throughout the world with many big names he has never forgotten his roots in Tyneside.

Watch Tom here:



His big band line-up includes David Newey, Shona Kipling and Phil Murray, whose performances combine a roller coaster of musical delights.

“Scintillating fiddle, a silky smooth tone, a wide grin and a dry Geordie wit.'”

"Tom is a great player, and a terrific singer, he happens to be a number one bloke too." Dave Swarbrick

"This band is quite simply the top of the tree." Mike Harding

Get your tickets here

Ryedale Artists at Work 1.Christopher Ware

Welcome to the first of a new occasional series of short films about artists in Ryedale.

We hope to make plenty more. So if you are an artist in Ryedale and would like to us to make a film about your work, please let us know.

There will be no charge.

Why the Arts Matter

This is what Arts Council England has to say

A UK-wide international success story thanks to 15 years of sustained investment

Thanks to 15 years of sustained support, including the introduction of the Lottery in 1994, the arts are thriving. We have visionary leaders; entrepreneurial business models; a global reputation for excellence and innovation; enhanced facilities; a transformational Olympics opportunity; and a growing cultural economy built on a new spirit of creative confidence.

The arts budget is tiny; the return on investment is huge

The arts budget is tiny; it costs 17p a week per person - less than half the price of a pint of milk. In return we have: world-class arts and artists; a sector that gives Britain an international edge as a dynamic place to live, work and do business; a sector which fuels the creative industries and generates future jobs in one of the fastest growing parts of the economy; and a sector with a proven track record of regenerating towns and cities and contributing to a cohesive and engaged society.

The story is clear: small amounts of public money work hard and stimulate a mixed economy culture that is admired the world over and delivers a real return for the country in economic terms, and in terms of the kind of society we want to be.

Sustained support of the arts will allow them to play a vital role in Britain's economic recovery

Arts investment plays a vital role in the journey from talent to the creative industries, which are fundamental to the future competitiveness of British business and are seen as our best route out of recession. Between 1997 and 2006 the creative economy grew faster than any other sector, accounting for 2 million jobs and £16.6 billion of exports in 2007.

Arts and culture are central to tourism in the UK: this was worth £86 billion in 2007 - 3.7% of GDP - and directly employed 1.4 million people. Inbound tourism is a vital export earner for the UK economy, worth £16.3 billion to the UK economy in 2008.

Liverpool 08 was the most successful European Capital of Culture ever, with 15 million cultural visits and £800 million worth of local economic benefit.

Artistic enjoyment and creativity has never been more universal, more innovative, more easily distributed, shared and exchanged. The UK has the largest creative sector in the EU, and relative to GDP probably the largest in the world.

The arts are central to a government that places a healthy society at the heart of its agenda

Arts leaders and organisations occupy a major place in the 'Big Society': as civic leaders they contribute to the cohesion of their local communities, civic pride and quality of life.

Any cut to the arts will have a disproportionate effect for a relatively tiny saving to the public purse

For every £1 that the Arts Council invests, an additional £2 is generated from private and commercial sources, totalling £3 income. At a local level our investment can lever five times its worth.Arts Council investment acts as a stamp of approval that draws in funding from the private sector and philanthropic sources: philanthropy follows success.

We have developed a modern and progressive model for cultural organisations, bringing together public funding and private enterprise - a truly public-private partnership. But it is a finely balanced economy: if public funding is significantly reduced, the knock-on effect will be profound and the private sector will not make up the shortfall.

There is no firewall between the public funded arts and the private sector: the success of the commercial arts sector and the creative economy depends on both.

Spending Review

The Arts Council has already had a 5% Grant-in-aid in-year cut. DCMS share of the Government's in-year reduction is 4.1%, or £88 million. The Department has reduced the budgets of all the bodies it funds to help meet this reduction. The Arts Council's original 2010/11 budget has been reduced by a total of £23 million from £468 million to £445 million.

Arts Council England has also made a £6.5m a year saving on its overall support costs (Lottery and Grant in Aid). Support costs are currently 6.6% of overall spend - of which 3% is spent on management and administration. The remainder is spent on direct support to front line delivery.

While the Arts Council received a 5% reduction in funding, it limited the funding reduction to RFOs to just 0.5% through the exceptional use of £9 million of historic reserves (access to which was previously blocked by government).

The Arts Council has now been asked by DCMS to model a 25 - 30% cut across four years (along with other DCMS funded bodies). A 30% cut would, if passed on equally, amount to a reduction in the Arts Council's budget for regularly funded organisations of £134m a year. This would mean the loss of many arts organisations - large and small.

While the proposed return of Lottery money to the arts will be greatly welcomed, Lottery money will only be phased in over time. Any increase in Lottery funding will therefore not mitigate the impact of grant-in-aid cuts in the early years, and Lottery cannot substitute for government funding because of the important principle of 'additionality'.

Any cuts need to be spread intelligently over four years so that they can be managed in the best way. Any dramatic cut in funding in 2011/12 will hit organisations hardest in the Olympics year and it will take many years to recover.

The arts sector recognises the need to contribute to the economic recovery - and has already sustained significant cuts (£112.5 million of Arts Council Lottery funding has been diverted to the Olympics, in addition to the in-year Grant-in-aid cuts). From a business point of view there is a point at which the operating models of many organisations will have to be radically reappraised, and some will not have that option. There is a tipping point of 10-15% for most arts organisations.

Cuts of this magnitude will have a real impact on the frontline and will cost far more that the extremely small sums they save government overall. This is because cuts in local authority funding, a reduction in private sector support and escalating running costs will create the 'perfect storm' for many successful organisations who operate on the mixed economy model.

We will all have to get better at new ways of doing things - for example, making philanthropic giving much more effective for the arts. However, this cannot be done overnight and there will need to be changes and incentives to really take advantage of this.

Remember: the arts are valued, they really matter, they are essential to our quality of life

The financial climate is tough, but the arts remain a compelling case for public investment. Work with us to put that case as loudly and clearly as possible to government in advance of the next spending review so that we can minimise the potential damage.

We know that arts organisations are already finding new approaches to arts funding and to partnerships, collaboration and delivery - there are great examples of organisations thinking differently within this changing context. This is even more important given the challenges of the current economic climate: we must be as resourceful as we can and work together.

The arts broaden horizons, stimulate new thinking, provide pleasure and raise aspirations - they inspire and sustain the spirit. More people are enjoying the arts than ever before (76% in 2008/9)

The considerable benefits the arts can bring in other areas - social, economic, and to general well being - begin with the quality of the art itself. And this country has invested in artistic excellence for the long term.

We are committed to ensuring that public funds are used in the most cost effective way to deliver the greatest public value. In addition, we see the need to think of the long term.

We want to make the most of a range of extraordinary opportunities around the Olympics, to substantially build the digital and innovative capacity of the arts, and to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to access the very best of the arts and that the arts continue to thrive. This is why the Arts Council is developing a 10-year framework for the arts that will deliver the mission of great art for everyone.

As an Arts Council we will work with the sector to ensure the entrepreneurial genius of the arts continues to thrive.

We have evolved into a strong, efficient, outward looking organisation, and will continue to drive down costs while maintaining the quality and effectiveness of our advice, support and expertise.

Since 1 April the Arts Council's overall operating costs are down to 6.6 per cent (reduced from 11% in 2001/2), and of that only 3% is spent on administrative costs. DCMS has asked the Arts Council, along with other Non Departmental Public Bodies, to model a further 33 - 50% cut to its administration costs. If a cut of this size is implemented, the Arts Council will no longer be able to operate effectively on behalf of the sector, or manage the profound change to the sector that will be required over the coming years.

Do add your comments.

Sir Ken Robinson and a plea for creativity

We watch in a kind of limbo, as the government's Sword of Damocles swings above us on its slender thread. The "Spending Review"! October....

In spite of the relatively small amount spent by Governments on the Arts and in spite of considerable cuts already made by the Arts Council and in spite of the fact that the return on money spent on the Arts is exceptionally high, there is little evidence from past experience to suggest they will be protected from the sword's sharp edge.

And in so far as the cuts about to be made are really necessary, we wouldn't expect them to be. We must accept our fair share of the pain.

However, the size of cuts, if applied in one blow, could be fatal. For those with small and already very tight budgets 25% is like cutting the legs off runners and telling them to win the 100 metres. And that's just the sort of thing people expect of the Arts.

At the very least we must have the time to make the big adjustments that will be needed, to what we do in the Arts and how we do it. If it really is to be as much as 25%, let it be spread over a number of years. In those years, too, we need as much help as possible to find ways of keeping us up and running.

Our Arts organisations and activities are too valuable to the country, its people and the economy for us to lose them. Along with Schools they provide the environment in which our creativity can flourish - or they should do, for we will need every drop of creativity we can muster to cope with what the future will bring us and our children.

And that is what Ken Robinson talked about at a TED conference . Do see below what he had to say on the subject. He's very funny but also deadly serious

Local Talent to launch our new season with a musical feast...

Ryedale is brimming with talent so don't miss the chance to enjoy some of it at Helmsley Arts Centre on September 11th at 7.30pm in an evening of live music.

Four Quarters is an acappella harmony quartet: Lynn Sunley & Carolyn Jarvis from Farndale, Rachel Shackleton from Kirkbymoorside and Rob Davies from Malton. They sing an eclectic mix of popular and contemporary songs - jazz, barbershop, duwop, gospel and songs in Creole and Zulu.

Based in Scackleton Holly Cawte specialises in singing Jazz. Her repertoire includes the soulful sounds of Peggy Lee, Cleo Laine, Nina Simone. She will be accompanied on the piano by Ed Osbourne from Malton, who will also entertain us with couple of jazz solos.

Natasha Jones from Kirkbymoorside and Robin Bunton from Appleton-le-Moors sing, play and write songs drawing on soul, blues and jazz, as well as contemporary songwriters, blending styles, vocals and rhythms as they please.

£7 / concs £6 / students £5

Buy now

The Amazing Mr Carroll...

I never knew so many different sounds could come from a guitar. Clive Carroll's gig was an eye and ear opener for all of us. The extraordinary range of sounds was matched by the variety of the music styles played. Classical Dowland to Johnny Cash, Albeniz to Chet Atkins, and atmospheric music of his own composition.

He played everything with such apparent ease, yet with a body totally engaged in the rhythms and nuances of the music. His technique was so good, producing so many layers of sound, it was difficult to believe at times there was only one guitar.

All this presented with a friendly and self deprecating commentary, funny stories and fascinating little insights into the guitar playing world.

The audience didn't want to let him go. But go he did. We hope he'll come back and if he does, look, please don't miss the chance to see him work his magic.

At last, we're back!

It's a long time for a blog site to go quiet. Since April, for heaven's sake. But life has been a bit too full to manage blogging on top of the extra work involved in responding to the present financial ouch factor.

The last entry was about the 1812 Theatre Company's production of "The Memory of Water". I'm delighted to say - particularly so, as I was the director - it was a great success. It even made a profit. Most pleasing, though, was the high quality of ensemble acting by the cast, especially of the three sisters and their dead mother.

Even more successful was the Russian Orthodox Choir. So popular were they we had to put on an extra performance on the same day. Lucky for us they were willing to do it. And that sold out too.What a wonderful sound they made. The acoustic of our auditorium was perfect for them.

Heatseeker(theAC/DC Tribute Band) pulled in a keen crowd of fans, as, by way of complete contrast, did the Audience with Michael Mansfield, QC . He was a relaxed and fluent speaker and held his audience with ease. As ever, the Mardi Gras Jazz lunches were popular, and though "The Land Girls of Yorkshire" played to a full house, many in the audience felt it was a disappointingly flat. Maybe the Company had been touring it too long.

The 1812 Youth Theatre production of the world premiere of "Won't Be Long", by Tom Needham (of TV fame) and David Griffiths, was funny and moving and full of excellent performances from individuals in a very big cast. The story of evacuees in World War II

touched many in the audience. And for the first time in their history the company took the show to another venue - in Thornton le Dale, where their performance moved the audience to tears. We were particularly lucky in having sponsorship for this production from the Helmsley Freemasons Lodge No 7075, for which many thanks.

Disappointingly, a number of shows since then haven't done so well, for all that they were excellent entertainment and thoroughly enjoyed by those who did come. Ali Cook and the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre, for example. Ali Cook's magic tricks are superbly executed and the puppets outrageously funny. Perhaps the publicity didn't make it clear that "puppets" doesn't necessarily mean "for children". It was definitely a show for adults.

Likewise the usually very popular "Ryedale Live", with its 2nd birthday celebration, brought a smaller than hoped-for audience. But they filled the studio/bar and in a relaxed and appreciative atmosphere, with french doors open to the balmy evening air, they enjoyed some first-class performers .

Actually, the scheduling did load the dice against us more than a bit, what with 10,000 attending the Simply Red concert in Dalby Forest, the Wombleton prom down the road, the World cup on the telly, not to mention the beautiful summer weather.

And I guess the latter plus Wimbledon and the local Steam Fair kept the audiences down for "The Wind in the Willows", though 40 on the first night and 60 on the second was pretty good under the circumstances. Ratatat Theatre Company were on sparkling form in a witty and inventive, high-energy version by Martin Riley, with Dominic Goodwin in his element as Toad.

And what a shame only 32 made it to "Dancing the Ramayana", a beautiful tour-de-force of Kathak(north Indian) dance and music, with the graceful and powerful dancer on the move,

non-stop for an hour and a quarter.

Now then, we hope more of you come to see that exceptionally talented young guitarist, who can play just about any sort of music, Clive Carroll, in the intimacy of the Studio/bar on Saturday 10 July at 7.30pm. Buy your tickets now.

We're very keen that as many of you as possible come to support the incredibly accomplished young players in Ryedale School's award-winning Wind and Jazz Bands on Sunday 11th July at 2.30pm. Buy your tickets now.

And then you mustn't miss the 1812 Theatre Company's latest production of "84 Charing Cross Road" 21st to 24th July at 7.30pm.Buy your tickets now.

Right now we're just putting the finishing touches to our autumn brochure and very soon the whole programme will be in our website and your online booking can start.

Don't miss "The Memory of Water"

The1812 Theatre Company presents

Shelagh Stephenson's award-winning play

"The Memory of Water"

at the Helmsley Arts Centre

from 21st to 24th April at 7.30pm.

On the eve of their mother’s funeral, three sisters meet and once again clash, as old conflicts flare up and reveal their continuing grip on the present. Events may have been shared but memories of them differ wildly. With a husband and a lover also drawn into this bewildering whirlpool, the play offers

“...a superb mix of wild humour and bruising emotion.” Daily Telegraph

“Blessedly and mercurially funny...Stephenson combines a flair for witty dialogue with a relish for the dynamics of theatre...a mistress of comic anguish.” Guardian

The play won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy in 2000

Buy tickets now