What a timely coincidence that Keith Morris, who runs the Theatre in Wales website, is a contributor to this week?s ArtsProfessional (p10). His vociferous online community has been busy this week, debating the extraordinary decision of the Welsh Assembly Government to allocate almost half of the 2004/2005 budget for its ?Arts outside Cardiff? scheme to a mobile theatre for Clywd Theatr Cymru (p3). According to one mysterious contributor to the site, known only as ?Trucker?, the Arts Council of Wales ??decided 2 years ago not to throw any more scarce Lottery money at this nonsense?, and he or she casts a useful glance at the finances of the whole deal.
Based on the 2002 attendance figures, we predict the grant will provide a subsidy of around £20-a-head for each attender or participant, and concur with him or her that ?a range of cheap ticket schemes, outreach and education programmes [and] transport schemes would cost a fraction of the mobile ? and crucially, have long-term benefits for theatres, for audiences and for theatre companies.? But let?s not forget that Alan Pugh AM is shortly to be facing an election in his West Clwyd constituency, and investment in good solid audience building is nothing like as headline-grabbing as a couple of 40-foot articulated lorries rolling up in isolated communities across the country... except that some of those communities may not be as isolated as one might expect. Trucker points out that an earlier tour took in both Neath Leisure Centre and a school hall in Haverfordwest ? apparently both within 7 miles of far larger purpose-built venues; and that another destination, Connahs Quay Leisure Centre, is only 7 miles away from Clwyd?s own home base. With theatres and arts centres across Wales ?crying out? for the quality of theatre for which Clywd Theatr Cymru is justly renowned, we get the impression that they are the ones that are feeling the isolation most.
Published: 05-04-2004