Channel 4 News came to DanceEast on 11 January. DanceEast’s Artistic Director Brendan Keaney was interviewed, as was EncoreEast’s Pam Candler and a participant who attends Dance for Parkinson’s https://www.channel4.com/news/cuts-to-arts-budget-attack-on-the-people-of-suffolk-say-campaigners.  Some members of EncoreEast, joined by a couple of participants in DanceEast’s over 50’s contemporary dance class, were filmed rehearsing a section from Home from Home.

Sadly, the reason was that Suffolk County Council had announced a proposal to cut 100% of its arts and culture budget. Local authority funding rarely supports art for its own sake; rather it supports the positive contribution the arts can make to physical and mental health, education, the local economy and building communities. Dance keeps us active and alert, it makes us healthier and happier, gives us a sense of purpose and ways of learning, understanding and communicating. Cuts to the arts and museums could be seen as an attack on the quality of life in an area. In tough times, we need the ambition, inspiration, creativity, perspective and hope offered by arts and museums more than ever.

What do you think?

If you are affected by proposed cuts in your area, you might want to let policy makers know what dance means to you. You can email your local councillor(s) and/or your member of Parliament through this website: www.writetothem.com

It you live in Suffolk the final decision will be made on Thursday 15 February. The most relevant people are your local County Councillor(s) and:

• Matthew Hicks (Leader): matthew.hicks@suffolk.gov.uk
• Richard Rout (Deputy Leader): richard.rout@suffolk.gov.uk
• Bobby Bennett: (Cabinet Member for Equality and Communities which includes Arts and Heritage): bobby.bennett@suffolk.gov.uk

You may want to copy your email to DanceEast.