Talawa Gets Funding Back on Track???
Date: 20 October 2005
Arts Council England’s on-off funding relationship with Talawa, the longest established black theatre company in the UK, seems to be on again – at least to some degree. After announcing its decision to withdraw funding from Talawa’s multi-million pound Westminster Theatre Project this summer (See News, 14 Jul 2005), ACE gave Talawa until September 2005 to come up with a detailed plan to address the Council’s concerns about the running of the company. A spokesperson for ACE told Whatsonstage.com: “The company's response sets out a process for comprehensive board renewal and recruitment of new artistic and executive leadership for the company. We have therefore offered Talawa a revenue funding agreement from April 2006 to March 2007, with an intimation of funding for a further year, to March 2008, dependent on the company's progress against an agreed action plan.” In the meantime, Talawa has issued a Judicial Review in the High Court challenging ACE’s decision to withdraw funding from its project to build the UK’s first home for black-led theatre (See The Goss, 7 Oct 2005), which ACE’s spokesperson said was “nothing to do with” its decision. A spokesperson for Talawa said: “Talawa welcomes the fact that after so many months of uncertainty about the company’s future, Arts Council England has lifted the immediate threat to Talawa’s revenue funding. This enables the company to proceed with its plans to continue to build the capacity and effectiveness of its board and management teams to ensure they support and develop Talawa’s role as Britain’s flagship black theatre company. Talawa will shortly be recruiting a new artistic director and supporters to join its board of management and looks forward to the future with renewed hope and confidence.”
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