Powys' Mid Wales Opera Company hails council cash lifeline

Mid Wales Opera, which had been threatened with closure as a result of Arts Council Wales cuts, has been thrown a vital lifeline with a cash injection of £75,906 from Powys  County Council.

The Opera is now launching an emergency fundraising appeal to bridge this funding gap. The appeal, which includes a dedicated CAF donation page on their website , aims to raise the necessary funds based on the Powys grant and two generous personal donations totalling £15,000.

Chair of the Board of Mid Wales Opera, Gareth Williams said: “Only a few months ago, we thought we would have no opportunity but to close down after one last production this autumn.

“But now, we are within touching distance of being able to put in place a three year programme of work, based around our much loved SmallStages tours, together with work in schools to introduce children and young people to this wonderful artform.

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“All we need to make this happen is to raise an additional £50,000 over the next nine months, and - thanks to the enormous generosity of two anonymous donors - we are already a third of the way there.

“We've been really moved by the incredible encouragement and support we've received over the last six months or so - now we just need to turn some of that into cash.

“If we can raise even more than our target, we have more really exciting projects in mind.”

The money was part of the council’s grant funding programme, aimed at supporting and transforming the creative industries within the region. 

Powys County Council successfully secured £675,000 from the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) earlier this year. This funding is dedicated to fostering resilience, sustainability, and innovation within the arts sector across the county.

Founded in 1989, Mid Wales Opera has a rich history of producing and touring opera across Wales and supporting the career development of young artists early in their professional career.