We would like to express our gratitude to Arts Council England and DCMS for their continued support for Opera North’s work, in the investment programme announced today.
This investment in our future is a vote of confidence which enables us to plan with certainty for the funding period 2023-26, which takes place within an increasingly challenging wider climate. While thankful for this vital ongoing support, we are aware that we will also continue to face real budgetary challenges due to inflation and rising energy and operating costs, as will our peers across the arts and culture sector.
Throughout this funding period, we will continue to focus our efforts on reaching communities across the North of England and bringing music and the arts into the lives of people of all ages and backgrounds.
Marie Claire Breen runs a Melodic Memories session. Photo credit Ernesto Rogato
A vibrant cultural and creative ecology is the vital heartbeat of communities across the country, in all of our towns, cities and rural districts. Our creative sector, supported by ACE investment, is truly world-leading, and it thrives through togetherness and collaboration at all levels. We offer our support and thoughts to our colleagues and peers across the sector, in particular those organisations who have lost funding in the current investment round.
We have heard the news today that our friends at English National Opera have received significant cuts and will not be part of the NPO going forward. We look forward to being part of the conversation alongside ENO and other opera companies addressing the future of opera provision across England, in order to ensure that our thrilling, life-enhancing artform can be shared with the widest possible audience right across the country.
Ashnaa Sasikaran as Eurydice and Nicholas Watts as Orpheus with members of the Orpheus company © Tristram Kenton
Whether creating and touring bold, imaginative new productions in association with Phoenix Dance Theatre, South Asian Arts-uk, Leeds Playhouse and many other partners, developing clear pathways for talented young artists across the region, or driving participation and creativity through our education and community partnerships programmes, we will continue to place extraordinary audience experiences at the heart of all we do.
