“… it threatens our ability to continue delivering the rich artistic and cultural experiences that have made Cumbernauld Theatre a cornerstone of Scotland’s performing arts sector.”
The Cumbernauld Theatre Trust has put it succinctly as they have lost around one quarter of a million pounds per annum from Creative Scotland.
Much was made over the last month of Creative Scotland announcing a record 251 organisations receiving more than £200 million over the next three years via their refreshed multi-year funding programme.
However, there are a couple who are conspicuous by their absence. Cumbernauld Theatre is one of them.
Cumbernauld has given local people a chance to see work, they cannot get into Glasgow to see due to our lack of reasonable transport links or give people a stage, a platform to create their own. It seemed rather surprising they have been cut completely.
However, in the context of cuts happening all over the place, including the National Theatre of Wales being completely cut, by the Welsh Arts Council, all of Birmingham’s Theatre falling foul of the problems in Birmingham City Council and many others finding no cash in the Local Authority biscuit tin any more for any arts programmes, funding continues to be a miasma of strange and bizarre decisions that don’t seem to get passed the very first few paragraphs of the tick box sheet.
In Scotland it was not just The Cumbernauld Theatre Trust, but also Dogstar Theatre Company. Matthew Zajac, their Artistic Director, who I interviewed about a year ago for a piece in The National, claimed that this is the fifth consecutive rejection for Dogstar. To live a hand-to-mouth existence, given the cultural effect that Dogstar have made across the whole of Scotland, is unfortunate at best or if one was to be paranoid some kind of less than subtle and obvious indication that Matthew for one should simply stop filling in the forms.
The track records of both are up there with the best.
As for people out there revelling in fantastic and welcome news that they are “in” the question still arises as to how people will get to these funding decisions in the future. In three years’ time when it comes to funding coming around again and the renewal of the multi-year award funding cycle there’s every possibility that they are just as likely to be the next one who are complaining to The Stage and others because they’ve been cut.
You can lend your shoulder to the wheel for Glasgow Cumbernauld, in the meantime, see below…
| 1. Sign our petition |
| We urge Creative Scotland and the Scottish Government to recognise the long-term impact this will have on the community, and to work together with Cumbernauld Theatre Trust to find a common-sense solution, providing funding which will secure the future of the Theatre. |
| 2. Write to Creative Scotland & The Scottish Government |
| Express your support for a collaborative discussion to find a constructive way forward. More information and guidance can be found here. |
| 3. Share your support |
| Tell us why Cumbernauld Theatre matters to you and your community using #SaveCumbernauldTheatre on social media and writing a public statement of support on our website. All of the above information is detailed on our campaign page. Every message, post, and signature helps strengthen our voice as we fight for the future of Cumbernauld Theatre. |
