A PETITION organised by actors trying to save the arts in mid Wales has now been handed over to Assembly Members.
The Campaign4creativity, set up by actors from Theatr Powys and supported by the young thespians of the Mid Powys Youth Theatre, also arranged a ballot which encouraged members of the public to put forward their views about the loss of the arts in the area.
The ballot received more than 1,000 responses in Powys alone.
The comments will be delivered to a meeting of the board of Powys County Council, on Tuesday, March 15, when they are due to make a decision about their role in funding Theatr Powys.
The arts organisation lost the bulk of its regular funding when the Arts Council of Wales underwent budget cuts of its own.
On the same day, the Welsh Assembly Government’s petitions committee will meet to assess the various petitions which have been submitted in reaction to the ACW cuts, including the 1,200-strong ‘Save Theatr Powys and Mid Powys Youth Theatre’ e-petition.
On March 2, a delegation from the Campaign4creativity travelled to Cardiff Bay to formally deliver the petition, along with a touching letter from MPYT member Laahn Saunders, an open letter in support of Theatr Powys signed by several esteemed academics, and a concise and comprehensive document entitled ‘The campaign4creativity’s Case in Support of Theatre Powys’.
Members of the delegation also took the chance to voice their feelings and express their anger at the ACW’s handling of the funding review.
“It was a great opportunity to hand over the documents person to person,” said campaign organiser Baely Saunders. “Both AMs expressed their appreciation at seeing how much work has gone into what we are doing and it was good to speak to them personally about the way we have been made to feel.”
Actors across Powys now have an anxious wait to hear the final decision of the board next week.