If ACE doesn’t cut the South Bank it loses all credibility
NewsWord on the street tonight is that London’s South Bank – the country’s second biggest guzzler of arts subsidy – is heading for a heavy cut tomorrow in the most stringent round of economies that arts have seen for a generation.
Most organisations are braced for bad news, none more so than English National Opera.
Amid the gloom, however, there is a grim determination that the cuts shoudl be fair.
Top of the concerns we are hearing is that the South Bank – which has retreated from classical programming and is operating part-time – should be seen to pay the penalty for three decades of dereliction.
We’ll know tomorrow.
Nothing wrong with “guzzling” arts subsidy when it’s put to good use. In the case of the SBC, it clearly isn’t.
The problem has been allowed to fester for too long. Millions spent on trying to bring the RFH up to spec, its proper purpose forgotten, bad management, external eyesores atttached like barnacles.
Level it, build one sensible 2,000 seat concert hall that works and looks reasonable, insist on good management that understands and respects its true purpose, and demand the highest standards. No excuses accepted.
No chance, of course, for various reasons.
absolutely right – it’s an awful place still
I love the South Bank and attend a lot. Its a brilliant programme. I think Lebrecht needs to stop obsessing and try to broaden his horizons. This post simply sounds moany.
Wejen I was living in London, I went there a lot. I love the Soth Bank, and sung in RFH, QEH and Purcell Room myself as a soloist.
Fairfield Hall apparently has much better acoustics than the RFH does. But the building several miles to the south of the Thames is smaller and isn’t in as visible or scenic a location. So although the Croydon area isn’t as sleek as areas to the north of it are, Fairfield indicates that Norman’s comment in the past that London doesn’t have a great concert hall isn’t fully accurate.
Never miss an opportunity for a little dig at Eno…
Spot on Norman….. Time to defund this parasitic behemoth.