Cultivate

ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND THEATRE ASSESSMENT

We have been commissioned by Arts Council England to carry out the Theatre Assessment, which is looking at the overall outcomes of the Theatre Review, and we are working closely with the Theatre Strategy team at the Arts Council.

We would like to ask for your help in drawing attention to the forthcoming OPEN MEETINGS, which have been set up as part of the Theatre Assessment consultation, to colleagues and/or members.

The open meetings will take place in Manchester on 4 September, in London on 8 September and in Bristol on 1 October.These meetings will be addressing a number of questions, looking at the last five years:

• what have been the major developments and changes in theatre? Have they improved or worsened the situation?
• in what ways have relationships between theatre organisations and locally based companies/artists, and theatre organisations and their local communities, changed?
• has there been more engagement with diversity and if so, what effect has this had on theatre and on audiences?
• in what ways have audiences and their expectations changed?
• what has been the impact of the Arts Council's Grants for the arts scheme, since it was introduced in 2003?
• what effect have economic and political changes or any other external interventions had on theatre?

Full details of the OPEN MEETINGS, along with further information on the Theatre Assessment, and on how to make a written response, can be found on the website http://www.theatreassessment.org.uk/takepart.html

Thank you in anticipation of your assistance. Jodi Myers and Anne Millman