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January 2008

Dear Friend
 

As you maybe aware on 13 December 2007, we received a letter from Arts Council England Yorkshire informing us that our funding would be withdrawn from 31 March 2008.

Frankly, this is outrageous!  Compass has had a 20-year relationship with the Arts Council and at no time during this long relationship have any doubts about the Company's artistic work or its management been raised and yet, we only get three short months notice of this cut.

At a meeting on Friday, 4 January 2008, ACE Yorkshire restated that they had no criticism of the Company's artistic work or management and that the decision to withdraw funds was purely based on their own changing priorities.  In part, this was driven by the prioritisation of visual arts at the expense of the theatre sector.

How can we argue against something so utterly elusive?  Surely the key criterion for funding artistic work should be how good that work is?  The long and ever growing list of theatres keen to programme Compass and you, our loyal and ever-growing audience, are testament to the consistent, high quality of the Company's artistic work.

 
Buzz words these days are depressingly familiar to those who work in the arts.  ‘Strategic priorities' - is a phrase that generates groans from all of us who hear it.  Therefore, it makes the heart sink to read that ACE Yorkshire consider the Company, "neither particularly innovative or contemporary within the overall ecology of the theatre sector".

 
As you know, Compass's repertoire is rooted classic plays.  We attempt to operate from the heart of the text, determinedly avoiding superficial, glib and artificial re-imaginings of great work.  It would be facile to suggest that because the heart of the Company's repertoire is classical, it has no contemporary resonance or relevance.  The way of working and the artists we choose to work with make the work contemporary and innovative.  They bring experience, creativity and a contemporary sensibility to all the texts they engage with.

The simple truth is that our artistic work is excellent and all excellent work is contemporary and innovative for those experiencing it.

Whilst we understand there is no god-given right for us or anybody else to continual, unquestioned funding, and we believe that new, innovative and cutting edge work is essential to keep the lifeblood of theatre pulsing, it cannot drive it on its own.  It needs the maturity and experience of companies like Compass to help sustain it, give it context and allow it to survive.  Audiences need and desire a rich and catholic diet if we are to continue to attract them, and theatres in all parts of the country, especially those in far-flung places, need and deserve quality, affordable and accessible theatre brought to their doorsteps.  Compass, in a properly considered view of national theatre provision, is absolutely vital.

 
So - over to you.  We ask you to make your voice heard.  The arts bureaucrats, who are increasingly becoming just another organ of government, have to hear the voices of people who care and understand about the arts.  Please write to Janet Barnes, Chair, Regional Council, Arts Council England Yorkshire, 21 Bond Street, Dewsbury, WF13 1AX or email her on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Additionally, you might want to write to Andy Carver, Chief Executive of ACE Yorkshire (address as above) or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and the Right Honourable James Purnell MP, Culture Secretary, Department for Culture Media & Sport, 2-4 Cockspur Street, London SW1Y 5DH

 Please write in your own voice, but you might like to mention:

• What you think about the Company's work
• Why you think it's important

Please ensure that all letters and emails are sent to them by Thursday, 23 January 2008.

Finally, we would ask you to be foot soldiers on our behalf.  If you know of any other person who has seen the Company's work and who could be encouraged to write, then please urge them to do so.

 
Do please send us a copy of your letter or email.  Your support matters and counts to us - thank you.

 
Why should we sit back and allow 26 years of work to disappear on the whim of a capricious and irresponsible decision without making our collective voices heard?

Yours sincerely

NEIL SISSONS                           CRAIG DRONFIELD

Artistic Director                       General Manager