Pedro F Marcelino - Mindel'jazz: International Jazz Festival of Mindelo, Cape Verde

Dear Judie Christie,
Dear Richard Gough,

I am distraught, saddened and upset by the news that the Art Council of Wales intends to cut down costs by drastically reducing funding to the CPR. I would like to urge the ACW to seriously reconsider this plan, in light of the importance of the CPR for Wales, and for the performance world in general, as testified here by so many dedicated professionals around the globe.

When I came to Aberystwyth for further studies, the city was all but unknown to me. In Aberystwyth I found not only a brilliant academic institution, the Aberystwyth Arts Centre, providing a surprising program in an isolated area of the country, but also - to my astonishment - the CPR. Over the last two years, I had the chance of witnessing the world class quality of performance periodically presented at the Centre; I observed with awe the amazing line-ups presented in several workshops on cutting-edge areas of performance; and, most importantly, I have been shocked to learn that many colleagues in Portugal, in West Africa, in England, in Canada, and elsewhere, knew a lot more about the CPR than I did, and tremendously respect its work. Although it was a surprise to me, it shouldn't have been: the CPR has a proven track record of an avant-garde approach to performance; an astounding program that represents a clear asset to the community in Aberystwyth and in Wales; and one of the best specialized libraries in the world. This is what professionals around the world (and now me) know, and this is also why they resent the ACW's shameful decision. For some strange reason, we, as a society, continue to place a reduced amount of importance in the arts.

The ACW has the prerogative of identifying one case in which things could be different, and act accordingly by keeping the CPR fully funded.

Since 2006, I have acted as PR rep. for a new jazz and performance arts street festival in Mindelo. Mindelo is an amazing cultural vortex in the Republic of Cape Verde, West Africa. I have discussed this event with members of the CPR and identified a number of contact points that would enable a collaboration between the two institutions. This education-through-the-arts development project, and its social, economic and cultural consequences would be greatly enhanced by enabling synergies with institutions like the CPR. Without this funding, it is certain that the Centre's ability to partake in cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary projects such as this will me severely reduced.

I am therefore requesting in the strongest possible terms that the ACW reconsider this decision.

Your have all our support in this quest.

Yours sincerely,

Pedro F Marcelino
Director of Communications,
Marketing and Sponsoring

Mindel'jazz: International Jazz
Festival of Mindelo, Cape Verde
ACCVE's Cultural Development project:
Association for Cooperation w/ Cape Verde
Republic of Cape Verde