Gone

Nov 24, 2011 14:38

Was a member of Gwent Young People's Theatre years ago - it was the youth theatre part of a thriving Theatre in Education company (Gwent Theatre). I was just wondering what the chances of going back home to live and working for them would be, maybe helping with the youth theatre or the touring shows. Turns out it would be nil - it was forced to close in June 2010 because of Arts Council cuts.

As the cuts are even more extreme now I would guess the chances of getting work in regional theatre and theatre in education are getting more and more minuscule.

I was never the most successful member of GYPT - I was only 14, chubby and bespectacled and I although I got cast as Sheila in An Inspector Calls (as a replacement for someone else) I was humiliated for putting on weight over the Christmas period and replaced by the stage manager, while I took on her responsibilities. I am a rubbish stage manager as I prefer to be out there performing.

All in all it was a mixed experience. I made many friends and had a good time, but one of the tutors there played too many mind games for it to be a wholly positive experience. My confidence was damaged and I never got as much as I should have out of the experience. This is probably not a great example, but for all my humiliations and failure I still think it was a worthwhile opportunity. Would have been better without a psycho tutor, but you can't have everything.

Still, now nobody in that area even has the chance to do any Young People's Theatre. It was relatively local and inclusive and a very important part of the community.

I am a bit upset it no longer exists. (Although further research seems to indicate there is still a Gwent Young People's Theatre, just not the TIE company).

How does community theatre get funded these days?

Parallel to this the courses at my new local arts centre, The ArtsDepot in North Finchley have recently be almost entirely cut. Tutors were sent letters recently telling them if they wished to consider continuing their courses they would have to hire the space and deal with all the administration themselves. As the upfront costs are prohibitive it means most of the courses will no doubt disappear.

I am a member of the Actors Company and although that is continuing we will very likely have to find ways of funding future productions that don't rely on The Arts Depot.

I would like to do something about the situation but I have no idea what I could do.

I realise everything has been cut lately and many people would argue that the arts should be a low priority but those people are wrong. The arts are enormously important. My father was the first generation after the war to get funding for further education and took advantage of this by going to Art College. He spent 30 years teaching children in a deprived area of Wales - so he definitely gave something back. Funding his education was certainly worthwhile for the knock on benefits. And people who are educated in the arts and go on to achieve greatness, or even mediocrity are all giving something back - although they cannot do so if the funding isn't there.

Without the opportunities nobody will achieve anything, society will stagnate and everything will be even more depressing than it already is.

In short. I am mad and I'm not going to take it anymore.

Or rather I am, because I have no clue what to do, no real opportunities to do it and certainly no funding or infrastructure any more.

youth theatre, theatre, arts council funding, cuts

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