ARTS COUNCIL MAY CUT GRANTS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31344, 14 April 1967, Page 1

ARTS COUNCIL MAY CUT GRANTS

Result Of Reduction In Lottery Receipts (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, April 13. A fall in Golden Kiwi lottery receipts is forcing the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council and other disbursing bodies to reconsider their budgets urgently. This may mean that assistance given to arts and other projects will be drastically cut.

The lottery control board has asked the various committees to reconsider their budgets.

The exact amounts available are not yet known, but the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council and ot lets will proba b 1 y be forced either to reduce grants generally or approve a system of priorities for the various undertakings sponsored.

The council, which met today, approved in principle a second grant to the Canterbury Theatre Trust.

This grant would be of £7ooo—and is of a general nature —whereas the grant of £2OOO already approved was for the establishment of a school of acting and other matters.

It is known that the council is eager to support all four regional theatre projects now proceeding, and that it will be most reluctant to have to reduce its support. A meeting of its executive is being called, probably for next week, to consider the implications of advice re-

ceived from the lottery board of control. Local Support The four regional theatre projects have, according to an independent authority, each demonstrated that they are soundly based and that they enjoy a great deal of local support The arts council has already given them some assistance, and is eager to give more —if the money is available. Today’s decisions, unfor-

tunately, cannot be advanced from the “in principle” class until the executive meets next week and the approximate amount of funds available for distribution is known. Other Centres The Auckland group has a theatre already, and has received a grant of £2OOO from the council for training. Another grant of £3OOO is under consideration. In Wellington the Downstage Theatre has been carrying on for some time, and is regarded by members of the disbursing body as an excellent project for support. The Southern Players, domiciled in Dunedin, are similarly regarded.

The chairman of the Canterbury Theatre Trust (Mr A. R. Mackay), said last evening that until the full circumstances of,the lottery control board’s request were known the position would not be dear.

The arts council had worked on a basis of £200,000 for 1967; and to tell the council in April that its budget might have to be cut was leaving it a little late, he said. “The approval is in principle only, and that is of little help if there is no money," said Mr Mackay. Mr Mackay said he doubted whether the cut would be substantial and would make any difference to the trust’s plans.