Opera company calls council grant ‘a lifeline’

Mid Wales Opera (MWO) has credited an arts transition and resilience grant from Powys County Council with saving the company from being forced to wind down its operations.

The Newtown and Caersws-based touring opera and theatre company lost around 60% of its income when its Arts Council of Wales (ACW) support was cut towards the end of last year.

At the time of the funding announcement, MWO accused ACW of maladministration, alleging that funding had been unfairly denied.

The opera company was one of ten organisations that benefitted from Powys County Council’s Arts and Culture Service in 2024, which delivered a total of £675,000.

It received nearly £76,000 to draft a new business plan and find new funding sources. Since then it has secured two years’ worth of funding from the Colwinston Charitable Trust.

MWO artistic director Richard Studer called the arts grant “absolutely transformational”.

“After losing our Arts Council of Wales funding, we thought our tour in the autumn with Pagliacci would be our last and that we would be winding the company down,” Studer added.

“It’s been a lifeline for us. It’s enabled us to restructure our business model, re-write our business plans and really secure our future, looking ahead with some breathing space to give Mid Wales Opera a life. We can now look forward to a future performing live theatre and opera across Wales.”