Cash drive by cuts-hit arts group brings in £500,000

Leeds-based Northern Ballet says it is an “encouraging” start to its campaign which has won support from private donors, companies, trusts and foundations.

The organisation faced a 15 per cent cut in its core public funding covering the period 2012-15 in an announcement by Arts Council England in March.

It now needs a further £1m to cover commitments in the next three years.

Chief executive Mark Skipper said: “We are delighted with the donations and pledges we have received recently and extend heartfelt thanks to those who have supported us.

“It is a tremendously encouraging first step towards reaching our overall goal and a promising reflection of the great belief in and passion for Northern Ballet.

“Nonetheless, we are still very actively seeking support and continue to be proactive in supplementing our funding and encourage anyone who is interested in securing the future of the company to contact us.

“In order to ensure we can maintain a full complement of dancers and continue to commission the new productions for which we have an unrivalled reputation, private investment is now of paramount importance.

“The onus is on us to focus our energies on encouraging donations and articulating the importance and benefits of ensuring that Northern Ballet remains a valued and influential member of the arts community.”

Donors pledging support include the Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement, The Monument Trust, The Foyle Foundation, The Emerald Foundation and Leeds Community Foundation: Hesco Bastion Fund.

The donations will be used towards new works including a Christmas production of Beauty & the Beast as well as enabling it to retain dancers and develop the capacity of its new home in Quarry Hill in Leeds.

It has performed in front of half a million people in the past four years and has recently completed an acclaimed tour of a new work, Cleopatra.