ARTS COUNCIL ALLOCATIONS UP Local orchestra grants will be matched

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32885, 7 April 1972, Page 3

ARTS COUNCIL ALLOCATIONS UP Local orchestra grants will be matched

(By the arts editor)

Increased grants have been announced by the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council to many arts organisations, including the professional theatres jin Auckland and Wellington and the Auckland and Dunedin regional orchestras, but not —at least nominally—the Christchurch Civic Orchestra.

The Civic Orchestra has been allocated $15,000, the amount actually spent on it by the arts council in 197071. The Symphonia of Auckland has been allocated $22,000, compared with $15,000 in 1970-71. However, Mr A. W. Mann, secretary of the Civic Orchestra Foundation, said yesterday that the figure of $15,000 represented a minimum, and would be increased by any amount necessary to match contributions made to the orchestra by local bodies. Mr Mann said a special appeal had been made to the local bodies to support the orchestra, and last year’s grant of $15,200 was expected to be increased considerably. Mr Mann expressed his

gratitude to the arts council for its continuing support, and for its appreciation of the difficult position in which the orchestra has been placed, because of the decision of the N.Z.B.C. to stop its annual grant. The increased allocation of Government funds has enabled the arts council to increase substantially its contribution to most organisations—with the exception of the Association of Opera and Ballet Trusts, which is undergoing a year of “pause.” One of the beneficiaries is the Theatre Federation, whose shortage of funds caused one of its South Island officers to complain last year that he was paying for correspondence from his own pocket. The federation will receive $13,000 this year. Other good news for theatre enthusiasts in the announcement made yesterday by the arts council’s chairman (Mr W. N. Sheat) was the hint of support to come for regional semi-professional theatres. Such an organisation in Christchurch is the Court Theatre, which at present has no support from the arts council. THEATRE COMMITTEE Mr Sheat said a committee comprising Professor J. C. Reid, the chairman of the council’s Theatre Arts Panel, Mr M. Nicolaidi, the council’s director, and Miss Sunny Amey, director of Downstage Theatre, Wellington, would visit Christchurch and Dunedin in May, and would report to the council on the prospects for aiding the establishment of regional theatres. A separate fund in the theatre arts category would aid groups whose activities were not otherwise provided for by the Theatre Federation, Mr Sheat said. The fund would be used to encourage the production of New Zealand plays within a professional context. Mr Sheat said the allocations to regional orchestras were linked to “the threeway split” formula between local bodies, the council and the N.Z.B.C. “The N.Z.B.C. has given notice of its intention to withdraw from the scheme as from March 31, 1973. My council deeply regrets this move, and has, urged the regional orchestras to move more boldly into the field of local fund-raising.” FUNDING AWAITED In his announcement Mr Sheat said the grants would be allocated during the 197273 financial year when the council received funding from the Government and the Lottery Board of Control. Increased funding would give the council new flexibility to consider projects, particularly for regional development and the establishment of a national arts service, he said. The council is also setting aside money for projects aimed at encouraging a greater range of artistic fare in the smaller centres. The emohasis will be on quality, and “exposure of groups and individuals who are building national reputations.” ALLOCATIONS Mr Sheat announced the following allocations: Theatre Federation $13,000, Chamber Music Federation $15,000, Federation of Operatic Societies $5OOO, Federation of Film Societies $lOOO, Association of Art Societies $5OOO. Auckland Theatre Trust $60,000, Downstage Theatre, Wellington $40,000, administrator, Association of Ballet and Opera Trusts $135,000, Globe Theatre, Dunedin, $2OOO, Four Seasons Theatre, Wanganui, $2500. Symphonia of Auckland, $22,000, Christchurch Civic Orchestra, $15,000. Lindsav Orchestra, Wellington $4OOO, Dunedin Civic Orchestra, $3500. Mobile van project for visual arts $15,000, overseas exhibition, including “Portrait of Mexico” and internally organised and researched exhibitions $45,000, Art Galleries and Museums Assocition $6OOO, Print Council $l6OO, World Craft Council (New Zealand division) $750, Auckland Festival Society $5OOO, Auckland University Festival Choir $2OOO. National School of Ballet, including fees of Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council Scholarship students $18,700. drama school, including fees of Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council scholarship students $lO,OOO.

Fellowships, grants and awards to individual artists (1972) $52,000. Further grants were yet to be assessed, and would be announced at future dates, Mr Sheat said. While the council’s allocation for ballet and opera might appear small, it had to be remembered that 1972 was a “pause” year for these two art forms, he said. “This year’s figure is a minimum, and must be viewed in the light that it will certainly rise again next year. Its unveiling should not cause undue pessimism among the many devotees of either ballet or opera.” Mr Sheat said the council’s budget for the visual arts focussed on a mobile project, which would enable a variety of specially-assembled exhibitions to penetrate country areas, and an expanded exhibitions programme. “Our major commitment

this year will be the massive ‘Portrait of Mexico,’ which opens in Dunedin on April 29 and ends in Auckland in January next year. ARTS TRAINING “Training in the arts is an area of increasing importance. In the future we visualise an advanced training institution for all art forms. For now, we know we must allow to flourish what we already have.” Mr Sheat said a new broad area of council support would be related to festivals, commissions and overseas projects. The council is supporting the Auckland University Festival Choir’s tour overseas, a pottery exhibition at the Fiji Arts Festival next month, and appearances by the Auckland-based mime group, Theatre Action, during New Zealand Trade Week, also in Suva, in July.