The future of Norwich Puppet Theatre has been plunged into doubt after they received the devastating news Arts Council England is not going to renew its funding.
The future of Norwich Puppet Theatre has been plunged into doubt after they received the devastating news Arts Council England is not going to renew its funding.
The theatre received formal notification that Arts Council England East are not going to renew the £60,000 annual grant for the period 2008-2011, in the post this morning.
A spokesman for the theatre said; “We are naturally disappointed at the receipt of this news as this will potentially lead to the loss of a Norwich, Norfolk, national and internationally renowned and well loved venue and organisation.”
They said they would now be looking to win funding from other sources including Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council.
The Evening News, backed by council leaders, MPs and members of Norwich's vibrant arts scene, launched a campaign in January to urge ACE to reverse its proposal.
More than 2,000 signatures were collected and nearly 600 people emailed online to petition against the proposed cuts.
A spokesman for the puppet theatre said: “We would like to thank all the supporters, signatories of petitions and we call upon all those who have supported us to date to continue to do so through the next twelve months and beyond to ensure the survival of this unique institution.
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