After 25 years producing award-winning productions and film, not just in Wales but across the UK and many other countries, Earthfall will not be included in the Arts Council of Wales portfolio of revenue funded organisations from April 2016. In late October we were informed by an independent assessor appointed by ACW, that we were unable to appeal ACW’s decision, or their assessment process.
Whilst our current production Stories from a Crowded Room was touring this autumn across Wales and England, to sell-out performances, the board and staff have been considering this decision. Earthfall will continue to deliver education and participation activity, and produce high quality touring work.
As a result of this reduction of core funding, our Board have made the decision to scale down the core operation and release all staff from their contracts from 31st March 2016. We are upset to be loosing such a talented and creative team of people and, if you are interested in employing them, please do get in touch.
As a result of this scaling down, our opportunities for continuing to be an employer of a large number of performers and creative colleagues will be limited. Earthfall will no longer have access to a permanent office space or the benefit of a consistent administrative, marketing and education/participation infrastructure. Therefore, we will also be unable to continue to offer emerging artists free R&D/production support, free technical equipment, loan of vehicles and mentoring as the resources to provide this support will be focussed on our core activity of producing work. The development of new work will be funded on a project basis and our education and participation will no longer be subsidised. We are continuing to help develop the next generation of performers during their professional training via our partnerships with Universities in Wales and England.
Over the last 25 years Earthfall have employed over 300 creative individuals, freely supported 35 emerging artists, produced 28 new touring productions (always commissioning new music, performed live at every performance), and three of the company’s films have been screened across the world, one winning a prestigious BAFTACymru award.
Earthfall would like to thank our audiences, colleagues and people across the world who have written to express support for the company at this time and have supported the company during the last 25 years. Earthfall will continue to create new productions, tour, and work with highly creative and inspiring individuals– just in a different way.
Earthfall
Thank you to everybody who attended our performances in Birmingham, November 2015, with a special thanks to the Front of House and technical staff. It was a great way to end the autumn tour, with the park outside mac looking wonderfully autumnal – a perfect setting for Bonfire Night.
The post show talk was the busiest of our tour; it’s always special to hear our Artistic Directors talk about their creative process. We love talking to people about our work.
Take a look at the photo gallery of our time in Birmingham below:
Earthfall have produced a free digital resource as an accompaniment to Stories from a Crowded Room. It is a multi media resource for anybody who wants to find out more about the company, devising process, or individual show segments; including a chance to explore some of the creative tasks that the company went through to create the production.
There are also study packs from previous productions on our website.
The company have been in the studio this week recording the Stories from a Crowded Room soundtrack. Keep an eye on our Soundcloud to download the soundtrack for free.
Contact Kelly Barr at education@earthfall.org.uk for additional education and participation opportunities.
The second week of the Stories from a Crowded Room tour took Earthfall to Worthing. The company definitely enjoyed being by the seaside and even managed a photoshoot on the beach. Have a look at our photo gallery below.
A massive thank you to all of our audiences from the past two weeks as well. Here are some of the comments from audiences in Worthing. Let us know what you thought by using the hashtag #EFstories.