Mark Williams MP

Ref: AR/CPR/ACW/290208

Dear Mr Tyndall,

I was baffled and extremely disappointed to hear of Arts Council of Wales’ decision to withdraw revenue funding for the Centre for Performance Research, based at Aberystwyth University in my constituency.

I should not need to remind you of the excellent regard in which the CPR is held on a national and international level. Indeed I have seen the glowing tribute the Arts Council to the work carried out by the Centre last year.

The CPR, whilst being an organisation deeply rooted in Wales, has been a trailblazer for intercultural and interdisciplinary exchange for many years, often ploughing a lonely furrow. The work it has done in these areas, and the expertise it has, makes the CPR an invaluable resource as this sort of collaborative work becomes ever more popular.

I have seen an astounding collection of letters of support from those who have worked with the CPR, which pays testament to the very high regard in which it is held across the country.

I appreciate that the ACW has serve pressure on its budgets due to the Government’s decision to shift lottery funding to the London Olympics. Nevertheless this decision runs counter to the assurance given by Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM, Assembly Culture Minister in October, that there would be no cutbacks to funding to arts outside Cardiff, when a further £13.5 million was found to save the Wales Millenium Centre. The current £118,300 revenue grant is a tiny proportion of this sum.

As you will know, the Centre is a very efficient, lean organisation that already operates on skeletal staffing levels.

I join with many others as Aberystwyth’s Member of Parliament to urge you to reconsider this decision, and continue to provide the CPR with revenue funding. Without it, there is a strong likelihood that at best, the CPR will be reduced to a shadow of its former self.

Yours sincerely,



Mark Williams MP