Dawns Powys Dance Quick Steps Forward as Independent Charity with Launch Party
Having recently registered as a charity, we celebrated a new dawn with an energetic launch showcase on Thursday 17th September. The open door event was devised to celebrate the success of the past 30 years but also present a clear vision for the future. In attendance were Chris Davies MP, Ken Skates AM, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Cllr Barry Thomas, leader of the Council and a host of arts organisations and Dawns Powys Dance participants.
Two Llandrindod High students, Carys Power and Elleah Smith performed a duet, preceded by impassioned speeches made by Ken Skates AM, local business owner and Dawns Powys Dance trustee Elwyn Davies, Amanda Griffkin, Director of Dawns Powys Dance and Cllr Graham Brown, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member with responsibility for Culture at Powys County Council.
In his speech Ken Skates AM said, “It is a pleasure for me to be here today at the launch of Dawns Powys Dance as an Independent Charitable Organisation, as it moves forward on the next stage of its journey as one of Wales’ most exciting and reinvigorated dance companies.”
The Minister went on to comment, “The transition that you have gone through in moving from an in-house service to a charity is something that a number of other authorities in Wales would do well to look towards. You should really congratulate yourselves.”
The transformation from Local Authority-run service to an independent Charitable Incorporated Organisation has taken over a year, to ensure the smooth transition which would enable Dawns Powys Dance to commit to continuing to deliver classes, performances and exhibition dances without interruption.
Jennifer Owen-Adams, Director of Teach First Cymru and Chair of the Board of Trustees comments:
“Since the very first board meeting we have been driven by a shared vision to ‘get more people dancing’, we have approached each task with that in mind. We’ve also been working closely with the Director Amanda, key stakeholders, Powys County Council, Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations and independent consultants, which has enabled us to make a great leap forward in the organisation’s history. We are united in our desire to continue to provide opportunities for more people to make, create and watch dance together as families, as communities, as friends and as schools.”
The launch was followed by the announcement that Dawns Powys Dance has been included in the provisional portfolio of Revenue Funded Organisations (RFOs) drawn up by the Arts Council of Wales, for the period 2016 - 2019.
