The future of opera in Wales and England must not be low paid jobs, insecure contracts, and access only for those who can afford it. Image credit: Alistair Heap/PA Media Assignments.
The Welsh Government has provided an additional £1.5m in funding to support arts organisations in Wales.
The money, which will be distributed by Arts Council of Wales, is being provided “to increase organisational resilience support, which will maximise the longer-term impact and help to strengthen arts organisations in Wales. For many, this could also include protecting jobs in the arts sector.”
The MU welcomes the acknowledgement of the funding crisis facing Welsh arts organisations and the need for further support to protect musicians’ jobs in Wales. It is encouraging that the voices of our members and all those who support WNO are being heard.
The MU urges Arts Council of Wales and Welsh National Opera to ensure that the additional £1.5m funding is used to safeguard full-time, employed, unionised jobs currently at risk in the WNO orchestra and chorus.
Campaigning to protect Welsh National Opera
It comes as musicians in the Welsh National Opera orchestra get ready to take industrial action over proposals to make the orchestra part time and cut their pay by 15%.
The musicians also want to protect WNO and its touring work, which takes high quality opera provision to towns and cities like Llandudno and Bristol.
They will be leafleting the audience on their way in and wearing campaign t-shirts instead of their usual concert dress for the opening night performance of Rigoletto on Saturday 21 September.
The announcement of industrial action was covered by the BBC News, BBC Radio Wales, The Stage, and many more.
Support the campaign to protect WNO!
The future of opera in Wales and England must not be low paid jobs, insecure contracts, and access only for those who can afford it.
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