FUTURE OF GWENT THEATRE

That this House commends the work of Gwent Theatre which has provided an excellent theatre in education experience for young people and schools in South East Wales for over 30 years and has played a hugely supportive role for Gwent Young People's theatre and led to many young people pursuing a career in the performing arts; deplores the withdrawal of their funding by Arts Council Wales and that body's lack of transparency in making this decision; is alarmed that this will lead to the company closing in February leaving South East Wales, including some of the most deprived communities in Wales, with no theatre in education provision; and calls on Arts Council Wales to reverse this decision immediately in light of the vigorous community campaign and scrutiny by the Communities and Culture and Petitions Committees in the Welsh Assembly.