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Dear supporter of St Donats Arts Centre
Welcome to St Donats Arts Centre’s most ambitious programme to date. We are thrilled to be the only arts centre in Wales to bring Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, with its unique style of open-air performance to Wales for the very first time.
We welcome new world-class performers such as:
- Emma Kirkby's champagne and strawberries Bradenstoke Hall Concert;
- the musical legend, Georgie Fame;
- the highly sought-after Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain;
- Jacqui McShee’s Pentangle;
- the slide guitar king himself, Dave Kelly;
- some great films;
- a new book club event;
- bigger programme of arts and craft classes and tea dances;
- film study days;
- the ever-popular café concerts.
We are proud to present such a dynamic and high quality programme of events.
This is made possible through your support and that of our funders.
HOWEVER...
you may have heard in the media that
The Arts Council of Wales is continuing to put St Donats Arts Centre’s future in jeopardy even though the Arts Centre has won its appeal against the Arts Council’s decision to withdraw funding by the end of July.
Despite an independent panel deciding that the Arts Council had made a wrong decision to withdraw the Arts Centre’s grant, the Arts Council has not reinstated the funding.
The Arts Centre is seeking urgent talks with senior officials of the Arts Council of Wales with the aim of immediately reinstating the Art Centre’s grant.
If the Arts Council of Wales does not reinstate the funding, it would result in the loss of:
St Donats Arts Centre and cinema for people in the Vale of Glamorgan, the UK and abroad.
Up to 326 arts events in a festival year (up to 180 in a non festival year) as well as workshops, outreach work and educational arts programmes generating over 53,000 attendances.
Wales’ International Storytelling Festival, the only one of its kind in Wales and the largest in the UK. In 2007, this comprised over 80 performances from over 60 Welsh and international storytellers and attracted 1662 visitors from Wales, Britain and abroad. The festival includes a programme of education, touring and outreach work. Last year, we promoted 111 performances and educational workshops to just under 4,000 children, young people and the elderly in the Vale of Glamorgan and other areas of disadvantage including Barry, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr, Ferndale, Newport and Swansea. The festival also runs monthly performances in the Wales Millennium Centre and a nationwide tour with an estimated audience of 3,660.
An annual programme of educational events for people from 5 years to 95 years old in schools, colleges, hospitals, prisons and community venues.
Other educational events including adult life-long learning workshops and classes for retired and other people and film education days for schoolchildren.
Over £83,000 worth of business spent on companies in south Wales each year amounting to an estimated £2.5million spent in the life of the arts centre.
An estimated £138,500 spent by festival attenders on travel companies, retailers and accommodation providers in south Wales. This figure is multiplied many times by attenders of our craft fayres, weddings and conferences and open-air summer performances.
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Please support us in saving this beautiful and unique coastal arts centre, Wales’ only International Storytelling Festival and our education and touring work throughout Wales by:
- Adding your name to our online petition- Click here to sign and
- Writing a full letter of support to:
Prof. Dai Smith, Chairman, The Arts Council of Wales, 9 Museum Place, Cardiff CF10 3NX
and
Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM, Minister for Heritage, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff CF99 1NA.
In the meantime, THIS SUPERB SEASON WILL RUN UNTIL THE AUTUMN. Please book your tickets on the ‘tickets’ page or by contacting the ever-friendly John at our Box Office on 01446 799100.
Thank you and we look forward to welcoming you for many years to come.
The St Donats Arts Centre Team
Free weekly e-listings: If you would like to receive information on all our performances direct to your inbox, e-mail enquiries@stdonats.com
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