I write on behalf of Wiltshire Arts Promoters (WAP), a network of professional arts organisations and individuals which include Salisbury Playhouse, The Pound Arts Centre, Salisbury International Arts Festival, Salisbury Arts Centre, Wiltshire Music Centre and The Arc.

This group was set up 10 years ago to help those working in the arts across the county to come together to ensure there is quality arts events and activities across the county.

We wanted to add our voice to the concern over the future of The Arc theatre. The loss of this professional venue not only means that Trowbridge and West Wiltshire will no longer have easy access to professional national and international performance or opportunities to take part, it means Wiltshire loses a venue and its team of arts professionals who have made a real difference to arts across Wiltshire.

We are very grateful to Wiltshire College for the investment it has made into The Arc with college management being mindful of the value of such a venue to lifelong learning, training, apprenticeships and the region’s access to high quality professional performance and participation. We hope very much that the present college management is as mindful of the impact The Arc has on the wider community as their predecessors. We ask that they do their very best to take the options that The Arc theatre team have been developing seriously and allow the time needed to implement the strongest. WAP members also ask that there be better transparency about the reasons why the announcements were made that The Arc would no longer operate as a professional receiving venue.

Although it has been stated that the college can no longer subsidise The Arc, when asked whether if the current annual shortfall of funds were raised would that allow a year to develop a longer term plan the reply was that this would not be enough.

The other key objective has been explained as being that the students need to be at the centre of any venue. This isn’t a reason to cease being a professional venue, this just requires some adjustments by course leaders and theatre staff doesn’t it?

We very much hope a positive outcome is found for the future of The Arc. WAP members have extended an offer of support to the chairman of Wiltshire College governors which we will be happy to act upon if invited.

Tracy Sullivan, On behalf of Wiltshire Arts Promoters.