National Theatre Wales ‘deeply shocked’ over funding loss

National Theatre Wales (NTW) has said it is “deeply shocked” after having its core funding cut by Arts Council Wales (ACW).

Earlier today, the funding body announced the 81 creative organisations making up its forthcoming portfolio, receiving conditional grants of almost £29.6m from the Welsh government and the National Lottery.

This year's portfolio includes Theatr Clwyd and Welsh National Opera, which will receive £1.8m and £4.1m a year, respectively. However, NTW is one of nine previously supported companies, including Mid Wales Opera and Rubicon Dance, that will no longer be offered multi-year funding from ACW in 2024/25.

READ MORE:

This year the number of successful applicants increased from 67 to 81, each receiving an initial funding term of three years, from April '24, with a ‘check-in’ at year two and the option to confirm a further term. Organisations that are currently members of the Arts Portfolio Wales but not be receiving multi-year funding from 2024/25 will be able to apply for Transition Funding to assist with their plans.

ACW described its 2023 investment review as a “highly competitive process”, noting it received a record number of bids with 139 organisations eligible compared to 94 in 2015. In their submissions, organisations were asked to respond to ACW’s six principles – creativity, widening engagement, climate justice, transformation, nurturing talent and Welsh language.

NTW has previously faced criticism for performing in English and favouring English artists over Welsh ones. In 2018, more than 200 Welsh actors signed an open letter to former chair Clive Jones demanding that the company commit to hiring, where possible, Welsh or Wales-based actors. This followed an earlier open letter from a group of 40 artists and writers that claimed NTW seemed to be taking pride in “ridding itself of a theatrical identity and even its nationality”.

In a statement, NTW said it was "aware that we are not alone; many publicly-funded charities like ours and public sector bodies are facing funding cuts, both in Wales and UK-wide.

"We will work with partners and funders to develop a picture of what is possible for our charity going forwards.

"During this challenging time, the well-being of our staff and the theatre makers and communities we work with is paramount. This decision will impact every one of those people: reducing opportunities to engage with theatre, to gain creative employment and to tell the stories of Wales across the nation and to the world."

On X, Rebecca Gould, Head of Arts at British Council Wales, said she had "an emptiness in the pit of my tummy about the NTW news".

Gould said, "I am thinking back to all thinking, excitement, possibilities, back and back over generations, way before the company was formed, and then it was THERE, and now it might not be ..devastating."

Mid Wales Opera has also commented that it is “disappointed and indeed shocked” after being stripped of its funding.

Arts Council of Wales Chief Executive Dafydd Rhys said that while "the decision not to continue funding for some organisations will no doubt be much debated, which is something we welcome", the organisation's "strategic interventions will respond to any gaps created in relevant sectors as a result of our decisions.”

He said: “This investment review represents a very positive shift for the arts in Wales, one that will lead to new opportunities for people of all backgrounds to engage with and enjoy creativity of the highest quality.

“We were very pleased to be able to fund 81 organisations across Wales, although we recognise that we could not fund everybody, or fund all organisations to the level that they would like."