Snake Davis at Square Chapel
February 2, 2008
Snake Davis’ set kicks off with three tracks – Day of the Snake, You’re the One and Summer Song – that make the perfect vehicle for Snake’s sassy and sexy sax. Dreaming On’s plaintive intro soon takes up a groovy beat (Bryan Hargreaves on drums) and includes a fantastically funky keyboard solo (Paul Birchall).
In a Whisper sees Snake take up the flute to give an almost Gaelic sound to the quartet – gently wistful, floating yet insistent. The first half of the set ends with Harlem Stroll – conjuring up images the musos walking the streets of downtown New York – and the title track from their excellent new CD Talking Bird with an awesome melodic line that Snake cuts out with great clarity and warmth. Read more
West Yorkshire Playhouse receives inflationary rise
February 1, 2008
Following today’s announcement by Arts Council England, West Yorkshire Playhouse is able to confirm that it will receive an annual 2.7% increase on its current funding level in line with inflation, for the three year period between 2008 and 2011.
As a result of this increase, the annual grant for West Yorkshire Playhouse via Arts Council England will increase to £1 533 147 in 2008-9, rising to £1 574 542 in 09/10 and then £1 617 054 in 10/11. West Yorkshire Playhouse is one of a number of arts organisations to receive an inflationary rise following the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, which sees an extra £50 million investment in the arts via Arts Council England between 2008 and 2011.
On news of the inflationary rise, Playhouse Artistic Director and Chief Executive Ian Brown said: Read more
Harrogate Theatre faces Arts Council cuts
February 1, 2008
North Yorkshire’s highly regarded Harrogate Theatre has been informed that it has lost its appeal against the Arts Councils proposal to cut their annual funding. However the Arts Council did acknowledge the work and role of the Theatre in the District and has decided to reduce the grant by 64% rather than the intended 75% This means the annual grant will be reduced from £400’000 to £150’000. Harrogate Theatre is one of 190 arts organisations, which received letters in December outlining withdrawal or drastic cuts to their Arts Council grants from April.
Harrogate Theatre will continue to provide a dynamic, challenging and entertaining arts service for the District and this news sees no short term changes to the artistic programme. A production of Saturday Night & Sunday Morning, adapted by Amanda Whittington and directed by Joyce Branagh, opens on Friday 22 February and the plans for this calendar year remain unchanged with the second phase of a major refurbishment scheduled for the summer of 2008. Read more