Bradford & District | Archive | 2002 | February | 22
From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Friday 22nd Feb 2002.
Ambitious plans to transform Bradford's Priestley Centre into a professionally-run multi-purpose arts centre have been revealed.
The £70,000 venture would involve educational and corporate facilities, and provision for people to develop theatre and writing skills.
Each section of the centre in Little Germany would be run as a self-financing individual unit, with a professional management body overseeing the overall running of the building.
The Priestley's board of directors is submitting a working document to Bradford Council, which it will ask to help fund the project. The proposal is being promoted as a major part of Bradford's Capital of Culture bid.
The plan has been put together by the board, with input from other Bradford agencies including the Alhambra Theatre which responded to the Priestley's plea for help last autumn.
Its future was threatened when it owed its creditors £10,000 but following the Telegraph & Argus's Save the Priestley campaign, it raised enough to secure its short-term future.
Director Glenn Boldy, pictured, said the new business plan was aimed at securing the long-term future.
"The idea is for it to be Bradford's version of the West Yorkshire Playhouse, or even a Royal Court for the north," he said.
"The people of Bradford have been asked for big ideas for the Capital of Culture bid. This is our big idea. A multi-purpose arts centre, which already has a fantastic venue, should be a major part of Bradford's bid.
"With the right backing, this could be a thriving, professionally-run arts centre where new work is developed.
"When we were fundraising last year and all those `old boys' of the Priestley - now successful, famous actors - came forward to help, I realised how many stars of the future we could create here.
"This city is full of JB Priestleys and Andrea Dunbars. We need to nurture new talent.
"And there is great potential here for use by community groups, from drama workshops to boost confidence and social skills among inner city kids to `team-building' corporate sessions.
"Developing a creative hub in this street would bring the area alive. It would be a big part of the Little Germany regeneration."
Mr Boldy said it was crucial to secure a management body, comprised of representatives from outside agencies.
"The board is made up of volunteers. We do our best but we don't have all the business expertise needed to run a company like this," he said.
"We need a professional body to take over the day-to-day running so we can get on with developing the arts facilities that we are here for.
"The Priestley has struggled over recent months and there have been too many grey hairs and tears."
The Priestley's future rests with the success of the venture. Mr Boldy said without professional backing the theatre would be "back to square one".
"This centre could be a wonderful multi-purpose facility for the whole district but it needs the district's help to make it happen," he said.
"We were delighted with the response to our appeal for help and this is the single vision that has come out of it. Now we need Bradford's business community, and anyone else who can get on board, to help us form a professional management company.
"One of the problems we've had is that we're not eligible for funding because we don't fit certain criteria. But this plan makes us more specific."
© Newsquest Media Group 2008