Liverpool - February 2008
Arts Council England's recent spending review - perhaps the biggest shake up since the Arts Council was launched - made its impact in the North West with a number of organisations being cut (including double Edinburgh Fringe First Winners, Rejects Revenge, a company to emerge from Hope Street in 1990 (and one whose tour of Albania in the I was proud to manage). New companies were welcomed as Regularly Funded Organisations (including Collective Encounters at £46k and PANDA at £50k in their first year). Some companies were awarded increases of between 10% and 300%. Unfortunately, Hope Street was not one of them and remains on £38k. An uplift would have assisted in what will prove to be a difficult year financially for the organisation. We look forward to the next spending review. Helen Flooks, one of the finest people to grace this planet, died in a tragic accident in South America whilst living out her dream. Helen was a brilliant theatre practitioner who, through theatre, dedicated her life to making a difference to other people's lives. She was a graduate of Hope Street's Physical Theatre Programme, she set up Unity's Youth Theatre, and worked as an actor, director, workshop leader and mentor in dozens of organisations and schools across Liverpool. She was an inspiration, and touched people in meaningful and special ways. Aside from her professional life, she was a bloody good mate. She'll be missed much, by many.
