Help Save Dartington College of Arts From Closure.
A campaign has been setup by local people to try and save Dartington College of Arts from closure. The group called http://www.savedartingtoncollege.org/ from closure are calling for a public inquiry to take place. Dartington Trust want the college to be relocated to Cornwall and merge with University College Falmouth. £25 million will
becoming from EU funds which will facilitate this merger.
If this does go ahead it is estimated that it will cost the local economy £5million in lost revenue. I am personally gutted about this as this is where I studied for three years. It is a truly superb college and has internationally renowned status. I have dreamt for many years about returning there and teaching my subject. Do you know what my life is full of misery. Dartington is a magical place - I just don't get this one!? If they do close it (which they probably will) Dartington will be destroyed, it is such a bad move. It's like murder.
Spokesman and former college principal Will Fitzgerald, who met RDA officials, said: "We are totally in favour of Cornwall becoming a thriving place with the university and the arts, but it should not be at the expense of our community and lives being destroyed in south Devon."
The RDA is crucial to the move because it distributes EU convergence funding in the region.
The college move is expected to cost about £25m according to a report by consultants Burns Owens for the RDA, most of which is being sought from EU convergence funding.
'Stitch-up'
Mr Fitzgerald said: "Moving one asset from our part of the South West to another part of the South West is not what this money is for.
"If you are going to spend money on moving it, why not spend money to allow it to stay in Dartington?
"It has been a stitch-up.
"We want a government inquiry that considers all the options, including staying at Dartington."
He added: "We are under no illusions that we are taking on formidable forces, but we are sure that what we are asking for is right."
Dartington Hall Trust, which owns the college site, says that it does not have the £20m needed to update the college's facilities and therefore the college must move or face closure.
Research for the RDA estimated that the south Devon area would lose about £5m a year if the college moves.
An RDA spokesman said: "We have not received a formal request for funding and no decisions have been taken to allocate RDA or European funding to help relocate the college.
"The assessment of any future bid would quite rightly look in detail at the current situation and weigh up the potential economic costs and benefits to the region of supporting the college's relocation to Cornwall or other options."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6445793.stm
Lord of the Flies film director Peter Brook said of the college "more than priceless" and has urged officials to rethink the closure.
Dartington College of Arts is part of the 850-acre Dartington country estate. This was created in 1925 by the US heiress Dororthy Elmhirst and her husband. The estate is home to many arts centres and summer festivals, as well as the Schumacher College. The closure of this college will be devastating for many reasons, not just to the local community in South Hams, but it will also impact upon the college's international status and reputation. The college has to be situated in the grounds of Dartington - that's part of the magic and the experience and what makes it, what it is. This college has been a centre of excellence for many significant years, for all three disciplines music, art and theatre, although it is more famous for its music festival and college. It exudes vibrancy and is the soul of some revolutionary art work. Move it to another location and the whole thing dies.
Dartington College of Arts is part of the 850-acre Dartington country estate. This was created in 1925 by the US heiress Dororthy Elmhirst and her husband. The estate is home to many arts centres and summer festivals, as well as the Schumacher College. The closure of this college will be devastating for many reasons, not just to the local community in South Hams, but it will also impact upon the college's international status and reputation. The college has to be situated in the grounds of Dartington - that's part of the magic and the experience and what makes it, what it is. This college has been a centre of excellence for many significant years, for all three disciplines music, art and theatre, although it is more famous for its music festival and college. It exudes vibrancy and is the soul of some revolutionary art work. Move it to another location and the whole thing dies.
Peter Brook said "My deepest hope is that everything possible be explored"
The college has trained or employed some of the largest and most successful names in the arts, including Benjamin Britten, Ravi Shankar and John Cage.
Mr Brook said: "Dartington College of Arts is more than a priceless institution, it is a living, evolving presence.....My deepest hope is that everything possible be explored and implemented to enable this work to continue in its present context and location."
Contact: Anthony Steen MP if you want to save this college from closure.
The college has trained or employed some of the largest and most successful names in the arts, including Benjamin Britten, Ravi Shankar and John Cage.
Mr Brook said: "Dartington College of Arts is more than a priceless institution, it is a living, evolving presence.....My deepest hope is that everything possible be explored and implemented to enable this work to continue in its present context and location."
Contact: Anthony Steen MP if you want to save this college from closure.
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