Ballet asks Govt for more funding

Press, 17 March 1987, Page 18

Ballet asks Govt for more funding

PA Wellington The Royal New Zealand Ballet says that unless the Government increases its funding it will face $200,000 worth of debts in June.

The company has asked the Government, through the Arts Council, for $1,172,990 in this year’s arts grants. It received $839,000 for the financial year to June this year. The company’s general manager, Mr Mark Keyworth, said that unless funding was increased the company might be forced to cut its tours of provincial centres.

Although the company played to good houses, the seating capacity of halls in those centres meant costs were not being covered, he said.

The company is sending letters to the mayors of smaller centres, explaining that its mounting

operational deficit is “rapidly reaching crisis point.”

The letters ask for financial assistance for the ballet, help with publicity for the company when it tours the towns, and other possible ways of reducing costs, such as waiving theatre rentals.

The company suffered financially when the Arts Council changed its funding from quarterly to monthly payments. In the past the company had invested the money until it was needed. The change meant the company had lost interest on the money. Mr Keyworth said the company had a “healthy level" of sponsorship. A sponsor had been secured for the approaching French season and negotiations for other sponsors were “positive,” he said.