Today two Ipswich-based arts organisations have been awarded a total of £750,000 following successful applications to Arts Council England’s Small Scale Capital Fund to enhance the town’s vibrant cultural offer.
DanceEast, awarded £390,456, plans to reconfigure its foyer and public areas to accommodate the increase in its performance programme, improve signage throughout the building and undertake a number of energy-savings initiatives. The New Wolsey will receive £359,866 to upgrade its technical and production resources.
Brendan Keaney, DanceEast Artistic Director & Chief Executive said “DanceEast is cultivating a dynamic and growing audience for dance. Over the last three years we have seen attendances to performances at the DanceHouse grow by 30%. Our plan is to transform the front of house facilities to create a more welcoming, vibrant space to accommodate this growth. We want to ensure that we deliver a range of activities including post show talks and child centred activities to accompany family friendly shows that match the quality of our theatre programme. Arts Council investment is not simply good news for DanceEast it is great news for Ipswich and the East of England.”
Sarah Holmes, Chief Executive at the New Wolsey Theatre said: “The New Wolsey Theatre strives to achieve excellence in all aspects of its work, and we are delighted that news of our successful application to build on our current technical resources means we can fulfil this high standard. We will have a wider choice of shows to consider producing, and we will have the facility to innovate ways of providing D/deaf and disabled audiences access to our work. We will have a wider choice of touring shows to present, welcoming even more visiting companies to Ipswich and Suffolk. And our Production Arts Diploma students will take their first steps towards a professional career as technicians with up to date equipment. It’s an incredible investment the Arts Council has made to two world class venues in Ipswich, highlighting the potential the area has in developing new audiences and new work.”
DanceEast has been operating in the Jerwood DanceHouse for six years and as the performance programme has grown, it has become clear that the building needs more flexible public spaces to accommodate a range of new activities. An improved gallery and box office area will increase the organisation’s ability to host external hires; offering a greater number of flexible layouts. The principle aim is to make the space more accessible and ensure that more people get to enjoy one of the finest DanceHouses in the UK.
Originally built in the 1970s, the New Wolsey Theatre has gradually adapted its building to become more welcoming, more accessible, and has increased its footprint across the town adding two venues – the New Wolsey Studio and the High Street Exhibition Gallery. The planned works include upgrading existing technical infrastructure, replacing ageing assets and installing new technology, including a new high speed network and audio/AV equipment. This work will ensure the theatre continues to reach high standards of production, artistic activity and training across all areas.
Together DanceEast and the New Wolsey Theatre are working with key cultural providers, local authority partners and the New Anglia LEP to promote the dynamic and diverse cultural offer across Norfolk and Suffolk. It has been recognised that the Arts and Culture attract visitors, improve the quality of life and create a sense of place. They also play major roles in stimulating the economy and advancing social change. Local regeneration is gaining momentum and ACE support through its Small Scale Capital Fund further highlights that now is the time to improve the visibility, accessibility and efficiency of both organisations and showcase Ipswich as a cultural beacon.
ENDS
Press Enquiries
For further information, including images and multimedia content please contact:
Rachel Tarkenter, Head of Communications & Development, DanceEast
01473 295242 | 07980 863263 | rachel.tarkenter@danceeast.co.uk
Jennifer Raw, Marketing Manager, New Wolsey Theatre
01473 295924 | jraw@wolseytheatre.co.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
About DanceEast – awarded £390,456
DanceEast is one of the UK’s leading dance organisations. It is based at the Jerwood DanceHouse in Ipswich, the home of dance in the East of England. DanceEast’s programme embraces the artistic, educational, social and recreational roles that dance plays in the local and national arts ecology. It places artists at the heart of the organisation, presenting high-quality high-profile dance work in the Jerwood DanceHouse and offering artists support, development and stimulation via programmes such as the Associate Artist Scheme, Rural Retreats, Professional Development workshops, advanced level classes and the Choreographic Development Fund. DanceEast has been running a range of innovative community projects for over thirty years, working closely with partners on local, national and international projects.
DanceEast
- Has one of the longest running, most successful boys dancing initiatives in the country
- Produces an annual community project and performance with hundreds of people from across the county, many of whom have never danced before
- Leads MOKO Dance, transforming the landscape in the UK for commissioning and touring quality dance for children with additional pre and post show activities
- Is a pioneer and innovator – eg Dance for Parkinson’s with English National Ballet
- Offers many opportunities for older people to dance, increasing activity, social opportunities in an ageing population
- Attracts some of the biggest dancers and choreographers and hosts world premieres
- Regularly hosts an international gathering of directors from the world’s largest and most significant dance companies – Rural Retreats
- Is home to one of nine national Centres for Advance Training for talented young local people, 100% graduate success rate, dancers in the National Youth Dance Company
About New Wolsey Theatre – awarded £359,866
The New Wolsey Theatre is a regional theatre with a national reputation for the quality, range and reach of its work and for embracing cultural diversity in the widest sense. The theatre is central to the creative life of Suffolk and seeks to expand the horizons of audiences and artists by presenting a programme designed to entertain, enrich and challenge. The watchwords for all work are highest quality, greatest diversity and maximum accessibility. It is increasingly acknowledged as a leading player in the development of new musicals staging the world premieres of It’s A Wonderful Life, 20th Century Boy and Mods & Rox. In 2014 the theatre co-produced Brecht and Weill’s The Threepenny Opera alongside Graeae Theatre Company, Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Rep and West Yorkshire Playhouse, and in 2015 produced the blockbuster hit Sweet Charity.
The New Wolsey Theatre has a proven track record of championing disabled led theatre and in 2013 launched ‘Agent for Change’ – an initiative to create more engagement and opportunities for D/deaf and disabled theatre professionals, audience members and participants both at the New Wolsey Theatre and with collaborating partners. In 2015, the theatre joined forces with 6 mid-scale venues and a consulting partner to create Ramps on the Moon, an Arts Council funded strategic touring project with the aim to increase awareness and participation of D/deaf and disabled actors, artists and audiences. The New Wolsey received the 2012 TMA award for Most Welcoming Theatre, and was nominated as The Stage Award’s Regional Theatre of the Year 2014. It received the Trip Advisor Certificate for Excellence three years running for customer service, and has a Silver Award from Suffolk Carbon Charter for environmentally friendly procedures and policies. As a not-for-profit organisation and a registered charity, the theatre relies on a variety of incomes streams such as part-funding from the Arts Council, Suffolk County Council and Ipswich Borough Council as well as donations, individual giving and corporate support; all of which are invaluable.
