Yvette Vaughan Jones - Executive Director, Visiting Arts, London

Dear Richard and Judie

We are extremely concerned to hear of the threat to Centre for Performance Research funding as Visiting Arts has worked with the company consistently over the thirty years of our existence.

We have always found CPR to have the highest professional standards when working internationally. You have selected the most interesting work and then produced and promoted events with great sensitivity to the cultural context as well as creating accessible and informative platforms for the public to engage. As examples, Judie was on the very first Producer visit to the Fadjr Festival in Tehran in 2001. This resulted in the first presentation of Iranian theatre in the UK for 20 years. In April 2002 Theatre Bazi’s The Mute Who Was Dreamed and That’s Enough Shut Up were presented at Castle Theatre Aberystwyth and then (through a tour organised by CPR) at CCA Glasgow; Riverside Studios London and Chapter Arts Centre Cardiff. Both Productions were poetical and political works from one of the leading figures in contemporary Iranian theatre: writer, director and actor Attila Pessyani and his Bazi Theatre group.

CPR also hosted two young Iranian directors at their summer school in 2002.


Out of all the promoters in Wales, CPR represents the longest standing partner and certainly one of the most valued relationships. We all hope very much that CPR will be able to continue to work internationally bringing the best of world cultures to the people and professionals in Wales.

Yours sincerely

Yvette Vaughan Jones
Executive Director
Visiting Arts
London