‘Elitism’ charge as cash axe falls on arts courses
But plea safeguards theatre’s funding
Published: 31st March, 2011
by DAN CARRIER
A SLASH-and-burn attack on small arts projects means thousands of young people are going to miss out on music and performing arts lessons.
Government quango the Arts Council yesterday (Wednesday) revealed which groups had been successful in winning grants – and the ones that had lost out.
One of the losers, the Weekend Arts College at Hampstead Town Hall in Belsize Park, says it will have to scrap some sessions.
In contrast, bigger arts venues such as the Barbican, Hampstead Theatre and The Roundhouse won grants despite being able to hire out their performing arts spaces to box-office blockbusters.
Hampstead Town Hall chairwoman Celia Greenwood said: “They talk about promoting excellence but I feel this smacks of elitism. We make a massive impact socially. We have 650 people here at the weekend in training.
“Our emphasis is about skills and the process of improvement, not just the end product.
“Youth provision is going, there are bigger fees for university, play services are being cut, holiday schemes scrapped – we are saying to young people we simply do not value them.”
The centre normally gets more than £100,000 in grants from the Arts Council but was awarded nothing. It now faces hiring out the space to private groups.
Former Evening Standard editor Veronica Wadley, who sits on the Arts Council London board, is understood to have made a passionate plea for Hampstead Theatre funding to be maintained.
According to New Journal sources, it took a last-minute intervention to ensure the Eton Road theatre was awarded the full £860,000 grant it applied for.
Ms Wadley, who lives in Thurlow Road, Hampstead, said: “Our investment in arts is critical to a city where culture is a vital part of its DNA. I am delighted we can continue to give substantial funding to the biggest and best organisations as well as to the equally important small, innovative companies.”
Hampstead Theatre chief executive director Greg Ripley-Duggan said he was unaware of Ms Wadley’s alleged intervention.
He added: “We knew nothing of the politics behind this. We put in our application and kept our fingers crossed. There has been the odd rumour, but we didn’t know this was happening.”
He added that the theatre had made savings to ensure all funds went towards stage productions.
Camden Arts Centre in Arkwright Road, Hampstead, The English Folk Dance and Song Society in Primrose Hill, The Roundhouse in Chalk Farm and the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn all won grants, while Camden People’s Theatre in Somers Town lost its funding.