Arts Council Funding 2012-2015

The Courtyard Chosen for
Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Funding Programme

ISSUE NO: 1
DATE: WEDNESDAY 30 MARCH 2011
IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Arts Council England (ACE) is to change the way it funds organisations. This morning’s announcement by ACE listed the organisations that will receive funding in the future and become a part of the National Portfolio Funding Programme¹. The Courtyard is delighted to announce that it has been chosen to be a part of the scheme and will continue to receive regular funding from Arts Council England.  

As part of the National Portfolio Funding programme The Courtyard will receive a total of £650,267 for the period 2012 to 2015, and has scored ‘strong’, which is the highest category, on all areas of assessment.

This is an important day for The Courtyard, we feel this is recognition of the important role we have played in the national overview of arts for England over the last thirteen years. We became an Arts Council Regularly Funded Organisation in 2003 and now look forward to being a National Portfolio Organisation in the coming years. This decision sends very positive signals to other funders, the local business community and the people of Herefordshire.

We have a loyal core audience who continue to enjoy our work year after year. We have also seen considerable growth in our audience numbers over the last three years. Our 2010 pantomime Aladdin broke box office records with over 20,000 people attending, add to this our other Christmas events, and movies, and over 24,000 people passed through the doors during the festive period. The January to April 2011 season has been one of the most successful in the last thirteen years with many shows selling out well in advance and ticket sales up 20% per performance on the same period in 2010.

We feel that as an arts centre for the whole community we have become a model of best practice. To see the true breadth of our work we need to look beyond the venue itself, out into the community as a whole, where our Education and Outreach work spreads far and wide. We will continue to work closely with Arts Council England in achieving its five goals², helping deliver its strategic priority of achieving great art for everyone. We now have twelve months planning to identify and set clear priorities for the period 2012 to 2015.

“We appreciate that Arts Council England, along with all bodies funded by the tax payer, is having to make very difficult decisions in the current financial climate. They received applications for £460m, but could only allocate £310m. It is a testament to the work done by everyone at The Courtyard that they have recognised our importance to the people of Herefordshire and agreed to continue funding our work for a further 3 years” Roger Morgan, Courtyard Chairman of the Board

“I’m absolutely delighted that The Courtyard has been selected as a National Portfolio Organisation, this means a huge amount for us as an organisation at local, regional and national level. It is a tremendous endorsement for all the hard work and commitment everyone at The Courtyard has made to make us one of the most robust and financially secure Arts Centres in the Country. We appreciate the important role the community of Herefordshire has played in helping us achieve this and look forward to working closely with Arts Council England in the coming months and years.” Martyn Green, Courtyard Chief Executive

Editor’s Notes:

Tickets can be booked night and day online at our website www.courtyard.org.uk or from 10am to 8pm Monday to Saturday, and 11am to 2.30pm Sundays, at our Box Office on 01432 340555.

The Courtyard Trust, a registered charity, operates the venue and a full programme of events with financial support from its key partners, Herefordshire Council and Arts Council England.

¹ National Portfolio Funding Programme
www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/national-portfolio-funding

 
² Arts Council England’s Five 10-year Goals

Goal 1: Talent and artistic excellence are thriving and celebrated.
England is regarded as a pre-eminent centre for artistic excellence.

Goal 2: More people experience and are inspired by the arts.
The arts are at the centre of people’s lives – more people are involved in arts in their communities and are enriched and inspired by arts experiences.

Goal 3: The arts are sustainable, resilient and innovative.
Collaborative and networked, the arts are known for resilience, innovation and their contribution to the nation’s reputation and prosperity.

Goal 4: The arts leadership and workforce are diverse and highly skilled.
The diversity of the arts workforce reflects the diversity of society and artistic practice in England. Outstanding arts leaders play a wider role in their communities and nationally.

Goal 5: Every child and young person has the opportunity to experience the richness of the arts.
Children and young people have the best current and future artistic lives they can have. They are able to develop their artistic capabilities and engage with, and shape, the arts.

Arts Council England Regional Contact Details
David Storer
Communications Officer West Midlands (Monday to Thursday)
Email: david.storer@artscouncil.org.uk
Phone: 0121 631 5748
Mobile: 0787 241 6650

Rebecca Horne
Assistant, Communications
Email: lucy.browster@artscouncil.org.uk">rebecca.horne@artscouncil.org.uk
Phone: 0121 631 573

Follow the decisions throughout the day at:
www.guardian.co.uk/culture/culture-cuts-blog/2011/mar/30/arts-council-funding-decision-day-cuts

Contact Details:

Victoria Branson

The Courtyard
Marketing and Communications Officer
Email: victoria.branson@courtyard.org.uk
Direct Line: 01432 346534
Fax: 01432 346549

 ENDS