CityLife

New Breed now extinct

DESPITE winning a Manchester Evening News Theatre Award for Best Fringe Production in 2002 for their show, The Irish Giant, New Breed Theatre Company have been forced to close - as a result, they claim, of pressure from Arts Council England North West (ACENW).

Just over a year ago, say New Breed, they were "poised" to engage an artistic director and general manager in the wake of the success of The Irish Giant. Instead, ACENW required New Breed to suspend its development, subject to the submission of a satisfactory three-year business plan.

This plan, a condition of the company's continuing to hold ACENW status as a "regularly funded organisation", was to be drawn up entirely by the board of trustees; initially without assistance, then latterly with the aid of a consultant (funded by ACENW).

The plan was submitted in September and was rejected by ACENW at the end of October, who informed New Breed that its "RFO" status would be withdrawn from the end of the current financial year March, 2004.

So, at a board meeting, New Breed's trustees reluctantly decided to close, albeit "in full knowledge of the ground-breaking contributions made by the company to disability performance art and awareness".