Discussions over Echo Echo future to continue

The future of Derry’s Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company is to be discussed by Derry City and Strabane District Council officers and Arts Council officers this week.

The organisation, which recently had its Arts Council funding withdrawn, was also on the agenda of the Derry and Strabane councillors at Tuesday’s Business and Culture committee meeting.

That meeting received a presentation from Iain Greenway, Director of Culture, and John Ball, Head of Culture Policy, in Stormont’s Department for Culture.

Their presentation centred on the work being done currently by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons around culture policy - arts, museums, the historical environment, and public libraries.

Committee chairperson, Cllr Rory Farrell welcomed the Echo Echo member present in the public gallery to the meeting.

The SDLP councillor said: “We have had the discussion with the Arts Council. We understand a review was requested of that decision and the decision remains unchanged. We also understand Echo Echo has made a submission to the Ombudsman to look at whether the processes involved within the Arts Council were adhered to.

“We understand that investigation is still ongoing. It is an important issue for this city. It is an important issue for the arts and culture sector across this city and district as well.”

People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin described the funding of Echo Echo as a “very pressing issue”.

Cllr Harkin said: “The Council, the city, obviously the staff at Echo Echo and everybody that used the services there was left devastated by the announcement of the funding cut.

“I think the Echo Echo board has done absolutely everything in its ability to campaign, to make its case, to say what has been said about us [Echo Echo] isn’t true, and to gather allies and support for the work they have done.

“But unfortunately right now, despite all that great campaign work, despite all those great efforts, the place is closing down. People are facing redundancy.

“Things are being stacked in the building to get ready to be moved out and the only thing that will turn this around is if there is an intervention from the Department for Communities.

“I think some of the figures involved that would allow that to happen have been given to yourselves.

“This has been a dark cloud in the city and the district and it has had a huge impact on the discussions in the arts sector since this announcement was made.

“Obviously we would love to hear good news but I think we would really appreciate your views on whether there is anything that can be done to save Echo Echo. At the same time, I don’t want to be in a position to create false hope for people who devastated and frustrated.”

Responding, Mr Ball said in terms of Echo Echo, he had met Steve Batts, the company’s artistic director, and its board and staff, with Cllr Grace Uí Niallais and two MLAs, three weeks ago.

He described the meeting as “thorough, exhaustive and courteous”.

He said: “There is a case with the ombudsman. That is in stage 2 which is the investigation having completed the validations. Things move at their pace. It is important to do this thoroughly. It does not naturally chime with the timescales that Echo Echo finds itself in.

“I made a commitment to see what options there were and there are active discussions involving Council officers and Arts Council officers about what, if anything, can be done, recognising these timescales. There are further discussions later this week as I understand it.

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“The Department is playing a role in those but we believe that the lead sits with Council and the Arts Council and we are seeing what is possible.

“Again, I am not in a position to make promises but I do believe there is a recognition of the dance provision in the north west as being pivotal in all of this and the discussions are going on it that light.”

Mr Ball added that the Department had not withdrawn and would not withdraw from the Council - Arts Council discussions.

He added: “Both of those have put some money into Echo Echo in this financial year - not to the extent that was sought in one case - but there are some discussions later this week and the Department will be present, as well as the Arts Council and the City and District Council.”

Updating the Business and Culture committee on the Echo Echo situation, Council’s Head of Culture, Aedin McCarter said it had engaged with the Arts Council as councillors had proposed at an earlier meeting.

She added that The Arts Council had stood over its decision [on Echo Echo funding] and had agreed to meet council officers this week to discuss preserving aspects of the company, including its building, going forward.

The Department for Communities will also be involved in that meeting.