Arts plan to address diversity and cuts
THE NATIONAL Theatre has announced a fresh wave of initiatives to address issues such as diversity and education cuts in the arts industry.
Director Rufus Norris highlighted the “relentless and shortsighted” tightening of resources in schools as a key priority as he outlined the organisation’s plans over the coming months.
Speaking at a press conference at the National Theatre in London yesterday, he said: “A big threat to art in this country is the relentless and incredibly short-sighted sidelining of arts in education.
“There is a growing mountain of evidence proving the benefit of the arts for young people as well as well-documented economic benefit to the country from our creative industries. It is very, very frustrating to witness this slide.”
New schemes for the 2018 calendar include a tour of the hit stage adaptation of Mark Haddon’s novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,
which will travel around UK schools next year.
Norris explained how the idea came following the accident in 2013 when the production at London’s Apollo Theatre was interrupted by the ceiling collapsing.
While the stage show involves an impressive line-up of sound and lighting effects, Norris said the more minimal performances that were put together for ticketholders had been hugely successful.