Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

The letter below left was sent to the Arts Centre Trust Board on June 19 asking them to return to the partnership they had proposed with Free Theatre to maintain the company in The Gym. It was shared for signing on June 13 and as people are continuing to ask for their names to be added on Facebook and by sending notes to our email address [email protected], we are updating the letter as we go. So let us know your thoughts. Alternatively, you can contact the acting Arts Centre Chief Executive directly: Jane Parfitt - [email protected] or incoming Chief Executive Philip Aldridge: [email protected] or acting chair of the board Erin Jackson: [email protected]. 

As much as it is an argument about Free Theatre, it is a debate over the arts in the city and the Arts Centre as a key site for this. To see the restoration of this special site becoming more about buildings and using retail and corporate hires to make it work, it loses its reason for being and the very reason it was gifted to the city by the university for “arts, education and culture” (see Trust Deed here). And it loses the key point of difference that will inspire key stakeholder investment in the site and see it continue.
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​The Arts Centre management responded almost immediately when the letter was sent on June 19 (NB their letter has a typo/incorrect year), "expecting" us to present a letter via our social media to present its point of view. We've also provided our responses in red as there are quite different points of view that speak to wider issues regarding the Arts in the Arts Centre. ​

Note from 2022 Website Editor Marian - this blog comment could not be transferred across to our new site so I have included it here as a screen shot. Thank you Kevin!