Peoples Republic of South Devon

Northcott nightmare

January 14th, 2008

posted by Cptn

What shenanigans there are about the Northcott Theatre, Exeter. Due mainly, it seems, to the Arts Council sitting in its ivory tower and not looking to take any responsibility for its decisions. Pah, you say, it’s a sign of the times. Well, yes. But there’s jobs, resource, skills and the little matter of nearly a couple of million spent on what will be a dead duck.

In response, Exeter City Council is getting ready to reach for the legal stick to cajole sense out of the Arts Council. To quote the Observer, where you can read the rest of the story: ‘Richard Ball, the council’s head of tourism, told The Observer: “We believe there is a case to pursue and are taking advice on the best way to take this forward.”‘

Not surprising, since according to another report from The Observer: ‘… the [Arts] Council had written to Exeter City Council in 2006 pledging full commitment to the theatre’s future.
‘On that basis, the city council invested £750,000 in the refurbishment…’

So far the response from Nick Capaldi (head honcho of the south west Arts Council) et al, has been along of the lines of - yeah, but we told you there needed to be changes and because of the refurbishment you can now get private money to fund you. But heck, if there was a responsible management of funds, these issues should have been broached right from the get-go, not wheeled out after the threat of pulling the grant had been made.

The Observer also has a response to the cuts from the Northcott’s acting chief executive Claire Middleton and a good quote from Caroline Quentin supporting the Exeter theatre.

Maybe the Arts Council is responding, trouble is they’re up there in there ivory cloisters and us on the ground just can’t hear them. They meet next week to make their final decisions.

If you want to make your feelings known, sign up for support of the Exeter Northcott Theatre.

Entry Filed under: Arts, Society