A Builth Wells arts centre which is under threat of closure is looking for a new manager after two senior staff decided to step down.
Guy Roderick, chief executive and artistic director of Wyeside Arts Centre in Builth Wells, and his wife Jess Hall, administrative and finance officer, announced that they would be leaving at the end of March.
The news of their departure has rocked the troubled centre which only two weeks ago announced that it may have to close in September because of financial difficulties, one year after it was last saved by an emergency cash handout.
The centre, which houses one of the oldest cinemas in Wales, is jointly funded by Powys County Council and the Arts Council for Wales but with indications from both that it will only receive standstill funding for the next financial year, the Wyeside will be left with a substantial shortfall in its budget.
Guy has been in charge of the Wyeside for the last 11 years and his wife has been in position for eight. Both are well versed in the financial fight the arts centre has had to endure over several years.
The of the Board of Trustees thanked the pair for their contributions to the venue and said they were immediately seeking an experienced interim manager and administrator/ finance officer, and taking steps to advertise the positions.
Chairman of the Wyeside Trustees, Julian Gibson-Watt said:“Guy has been in charge of Wyeside for eleven years and Jess has been here for eight.
“During that time Wyeside has survived against the odds, repeatedly produced outstanding programmes of live shows, film, community arts, education and visual arts, delivered exceptional value for public money and paid off over £100,000 of debt.
“The quality of its management has been recognised in Downing Street, by the award of Investors in People Status and by the second largest petition ever to be received by the Welsh Assembly Government, totalling over 8,000 signatures.
“These are fine achievements of which Guy and Jess can justly be very proud.
“The Trustees greatly regret that they are leaving, but it is understandable that they should now wish to move on and they do so with the appreciation and best wishes of us all.”
The Head of the Friends of Wyeside and a trustee board member, Wendy Evans, said: “Guy has done a wonderful job over the years, putting on fantastic events and a superb programme and we have had some wonderful nights at Wyeside. We are sorry to lose him but we recognise the stress has got to him in the end and understand he wants to take time away.
“It is a joint decision between Jess and him, a lifestyle change.
“We will miss them both terribly, especially with the challenging times ahead, but we’re not going to give up and we owe it to the 8,000 plus signatories on our petition against closure to fight on.”
Suzy Davies, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Brecon and Radnorshire, and former Mid Wales arts marketing manager, said: “No one person is bigger than the organisation itself, but I am extremely sorry to hear that Guy and Jess are leaving Wyeside. There’s no doubt that their courage, imagination and deep knowledge of the arts and entertainment industry have made the Wyeside such a special venue.
“I still say that other venues – and funding bodies – in Wales could learn so much from the Wyeside. If they were ever interested in seeing how a professional arts institution becomes an intrinsic and valuable part of the fabric of a whole community, then the prime example is sitting right here in Builth.
“I’ve known the centre for years, both professionally and as a punter, and there is no comparable venue that has this wonderful sense of belonging to its town and its people.
“It’s is a shame that it has not always had its fair share of public arts funding, most of which seems to travel no further than Cardiff city limits.
“Guy and Jess leave big shoes to be filled, but I hope that their work and commitment will continue to inspire the dedicated staff and trustees in their fight to keep this much-loved centre open for everyone.”