Arts Council funding boost for Exeter's 'vibrant theatre community'
Arts Council England today announced the 83 organisations in the South West that will be in the National portfolio for 2015/18 including the 13 theatres, galleries and arts organisations in Devon that will together receive around £10.4 million in funding over the three years.
A further £3.1 million will be awarded to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter and Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, together named as a Major partner museum for 2015/18, remaining in the portfolio. The partners will receive the grant in aid funding for a programme of activities that make a major contribution to the Arts Council’s goals.
The awards are one strand of Arts Council England’s total investment in arts and culture during 2015/18, which also includes the National Lottery funded Grants for the arts scheme and strategic funds used to support targeted programmes of work that deliver the ambitions set out in Great art and culture for everyone, Arts Council England’s 10-year strategic framework for the arts and culture.
The National Portfolio will have 670 arts organisations and 21 Major partner museums.
The investment in arts organisations for 2015/16 will be £339.5 million compared with £341.4million in 2014/15. The budget for Major partner museums nationally is £22.6 million, an increase of £1.1 million. This reflects an overall shift in National portfolio spending- in 2008 this was 51% to London and 49% outside the capital. In 2015/16 this will be 47% in London and 53% outside.
Arts Council England have also announced capital awards totalling £71 million, an increase to the Grants for the arts budget, bringing it to £70 million and a new tranche of Strategic funds including a funding strand of £15million to support ambition and talent outside London.
In Devon:
- 12 National portfolio organisations for 2015/18
- Three organisations join the National portfolio for the first time - Exeter Northcott Theatre Company, Kaleider and The Bike Shed Theatre
- Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery awarded Major partner museum status
- Eight National portfolio organisations supported at the same level as 2014/15 despite reductions to Grant in aid of 36% since 2010
The new National portfolio is informed by the high achievement and excellent work done by south west organisations during the current three year funding agreement as well as reflecting where Arts Council England has invested in developing and strengthening the local ecology. In Exeter, strategic funds were invested to develop the theatre ecology and this has resulted in a strong, vibrant theatre community and three organisations joining the portfolio – Exeter Northcott Theatre, Kaleider and The Bike Shed Theatre.
Phil Gibby, Area Director, South West, Arts Council England said: "We are very pleased to be welcoming Kaleider, the Northcott Theatre and The Bike Shed into our national portfolio.
"The Northcott was previously an Arts Council RFO and are returning to regular funding following strategic Arts Council investment in developing Exeter’s theatre sector.
"The theatre’s programme is strong and diverse with many high quality offers for children and young people. Kaleider’s innovative and unique approach to developing theatre addresses contemporary social issues, such as environmental and climate change, and empowers the potential of children and young people.
"The Bike Shed is an award-winning theatre whose skills at nurturing new and emerging companies have brilliant results. We very much look forward to working with all three organisations in achieving our mission of great art and culture for everyone."
Investment also reflects strong partnership with funding partners, especially local authorities, where joint planning and investment has seen culture flourish as a driving force in building the community, both economically and socially.
The organisations in Devon which will be part of the National portfolio in 2015/18 are: Barbican Theatre, Beaford Arts, Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Exeter Northcott Theatre Company Ltd, Exeter Phoenix Ltd, Kaleider, Literature Works, North Devon Theatres Trust, Plymouth Arts Centre, Real Ideas Organisation CIC, Theatre Alibi, Theatre Royal Plymouth and The Bike Shed.
Sheila Healy, Chair of the South West Area Council, said: "Culture throughout the South West is vibrant and exciting with organisations and artists doing exceptional work and engaging their whole community in inspirational and enjoyable activities.
"Sadly, the level of ambition demonstrated in the applications is not matched by our financial resources so we have had to make extremely difficult choices. But funding for National portfolio organisations or Major partner museums is only one part of Arts Council England’s investment programme and hopefully we may be able to support some of these organisations in other ways, such as through our Grants for the arts programme."
Phil Gibby, Area Director, South West, Arts Council England said: "This is an extremely strong portfolio of organisations delivering high quality arts and cultural experiences to audiences throughout the south west.
"Due to budget restraints we were not able to fund a number of very good applications, including some organisations which have been part of our National Portfolio in the last three years. However, we are delighted that we have maintained or increased our level of support to so many of our core organisations through this process and will continue to work to ensure that ambition, artistic adventure and entrepreneurial spirit are kept alive so that a strong countrywide cultural ecology is nurtured and maintained."
Arts Council England have also announced a number of capital awards for arts organisations in the south west, including one in Devon.
Teignbridge District Council will receive £750,000 for state of the art technical equipment to fit out the Carlton Pavilion, a new and iconic multi-purpose arts centre that will replace the run down Carlton Theatre. The new venue will have a flexible auditorium for performing arts, a gallery and exhibition space, a café/bar and a foyer as well as work spaces.
Phil Gibby said: "We’re delighted to be supporting the new Carlton Pavilion through this award from our National Lottery-funded Capital programme. This venue will be a vital hub for arts and culture in the area, and give many more people the opportunity to enjoy great arts experiences."
