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LATEST NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
17 October 2011

WANTED NOW: Contributions and volunteers for SAC’s new charity shop

 

Have you got a secret desire to run a shop? Well, now’s your chance. The Arts Centre opened its very own charity shop at 11 Bell Street on 17 October.

 

The aim is to raise funds for our next phase of development: converting the shop into a purpose-made gallery and turning the existing gallery into a new reception area and bar with a central entrance into the theatre.

 

This is estimated to cost some £40,000 and is planned for August 2012.

 

Initially running until Christmas, the ‘SAC Charity Centre’ is selling good quality books, toys, games, bric-a-brac and other saleable items donated by members and others. The only items it won’t be stocking are clothes.

 

A team of some 36 volunteers is staffing the shop in shifts but organiser Jenny Parker is always interested in hearing from anyone interested in helping.

 

‘We are looking for volunteers to work in the shop for one three-hourly session a week, a session being 10am-1pm and 1pm-4pm,’ says Jenny.

 

‘People needn’t worry if you can’t make it every time because there’ll be three people on together and opportunities to swap.’

 

Donations and names of volunteers can be left at the Box Office (open 10am-12.30 daily except Sunday). Volunteers can also ring Jenny on 01747 855306 who will be only too happy to take your name and answer any queries.

 

Photo: Jenny Parker opens the charity centre in October.

Dates of Board meetings
The next meeting of the SAC Board is on TUESday 25 October 2011 in the Proctor Room at 7.30pm. Any member can attend by request to ask questions and make comments..

 

Future meetings are on Tuesday 22 November and 13 December. Meetings revert to Mondays from January.

 

For minutes of previous meetings please scroll down to 'Minutes of meetings'.

 

Beggar's Bush

Performances of SAC's autumn drama - Victor Canning's Beggar's Bush, directed by John Higgins - are on from Wednesday 12 to Saturday 15 October so book now. The play is unique. It is the late Canning's only stage play (he was best known as a novelist) and the play was performed only once, in April 1940, including a young Trevor Howard, before becoming 'lost'.

 

John, an active member of SAC's writing group and film unit, found what is believed to be the sole surviving copy of the play in the Lord Chamberlain's archives - making this the play's first international public outing for more than 71 years!

 

Featuring the well known talents of Jerome Swan, Bryan Farrell, Mark Boyden and others, it is a play with a bizarre plot and a subversive undertone that presages the post-war 'class war' dramas of the likes of John Osborne and Arnold Wesker by more than a decade. Want to know more? Buy a ticket and come and see it...

 

Beauty and the Beast

Myra Wood has now cast her specially-written pantomime Beauty and the Beast, on at SAC from 25 January to 4 February 2012. The cast is:

 

Belle                        Millie Barnett

Beast                       Phillip Elsworth

Madame Bonbon    Tim Trenchard

M’sieur Le Fou        Mike Brown

Fifi                           Denise Baldwin

Froufrou                   Pippa Bealing

Malificara                 Nicky Porter

Fairy Rose               Hannah Sharp

Debussy                  Janine Rutter

Offenbach                Phillip White 

 Antoine                    Sam Skey

Jacques                   Anthony Atwood

Nounours (MD)        Richard Thomas

Madame Souris        Brenda White

Mimi                         Julia  Kunze

Didier                        Alan Timms

Marco Pierre Chef    Cliff Skey

Bobo                         Gracie Macdonald

Pushy Mamma         Jenny Tempier

Giggly Daughter       Abby Riddell

Guelder Rose           Eleanor Wetherilt

 

Rehearsals start at SAC on Tuesday 25 October at 7.30pm.

 

Royal Shakespeare Company 'Open Stages' event

Some 30 enthusiasts turned up on Monday (10th October) for the special public meeting in the Rutter Room for anyone interested in getting involved in this exciting new project.

 

SAC is one of only 300 centres nationwide selected from more than 6,000 applicants to join this UK-wide project to celebrate the 50th birthday of the Royal Shakespeare Company next year.

 

Led by Sammy Boyle and a steering group of SAC members including Barbara Arnold, Myra Wood, Rosie King and Nicki Porter, the event - with the intriguing title 'The S-Factor' - is scheduled to take place at Shaftesbury Abbey on Saturday 2nd June 2012.

 

Anyone can take part, the more the merrier. So if interested contact Sammy Boyle on 01747 854321.

 

Should SAC take an active part in Shaftesbury's big events?

SAC had a most successful Gold Hill Fair this year, especially on the Saturday - when not only did we host the very much enjoyed Tribo da Pesada Brazilian samba band gig at St Peter's followed by a fun party at SAC afterwards (who will forget those Caipirinha cocktails, limes crushed with sugar, vodka and crushed ice, Pepe made for us!) but also our little band of volunteers distributed some 700 'discount membership' programme and we won £100 in the volunteers lucky draw! SAC's stock consequently ended the weekend considerably higher than at its start.

 

It's been suggested SAC should be an automatic participant in all the big Shaftesbury events in future, such as Shaftesbury Carnival in October (this year featuring Beggar's Bush characters for example) and the Christmas Street Fair in December (parading Beauty and the Beast panto characters) and the Board has agreed with this idea.

 

Like any suggestion it needs support, particularly from the Music & Drama Group and the Marketing Group. Any takers?.

 

 Calling all organisers: Programme for SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Preparation for the next programme, for the period 1 March to 31 August 2012, is under way and organisers of all events are being asked to make sure the Marketing Group, headed by Jenny Parker, responsible for producing the programme has ALL details, including images, by 1 December.

 

The programme is due to be published on Friday 3 February 2012. The two-month production period allows for Christmas and New Year breaks, printing and distribution - so please cooperate with the Marketing Group to make sure the programme is with our customers and followers at least a month before the new programme starts on 1 March.

 

Please address any queries to Richard Thomas at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Shaftesbury Arts 2012

Wednesday 5th - Sunday 9th September 2012

Following the success of this year's first Shaftesbury 'Arts-in-Action' Festival, SAC's Board has decided to repeat the event in 2012 on a larger scale running from Wednesday 5th to Sunday 9th September. The event has been put back a week to avoid the clash with Dorset Steam Fair and other events on during the first weekend of September.

 

Intended to become as regular a part of Shaftesbury's annual calendar as the Local Food Fair in May, Gold Hill Fair in July, the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show in August, the Carnival in October and the Christmas Fair in December, the festival aims to showcase both the arts centre and its place (with Swans Yard) as the cutlural hub of Shaftesbury as well as providing a focus for the many arts and crafts attractions of Shaftesbury and the surrounding area.

It was run this year on a fairly modest scale by SAC in conjunction with Swans Yard and St Peter's church with support from Toby's Young People's Project and the Anonymous Travelling Market. But in 2012 it will also involve Shaftesbury Town Council, Shaftesbury Community Partnership (the task force), Shaftesbury & District Chamber of Commerce, and Shaftesbury Tourist Information Centre.

The hope is that all the town's many creative people and groups will want to be involved in some way in 2012, contributing not only by displaying their various arts and crafts but also by demonstrating them, hence the term 'Arts in Action'. Professional as well as amateurs artists will be welcome. The only stipulation is that all must be local.

 

Organisation has already begun so, again, watch this space! But meanwhile if you'd like to know more get in touch via this website at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

 

Designers needed
People with knowledge and experience of desktop publishing and print are needed to help with the production of the Centre’s two seasonal programmes and newsletters. Flair for graphic design desirable but willingness to be part of a small volunteer team more important. Applications to Richard Thomas on 01747 850073 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Creative Writing Group  
The newly-established Creative Writing Group under the energetic leadership of Shaftesbury-based writer and website designer Jennifer K Oliver and fellow writer Jennifer Bell goes from strength to strength with some two dozen members.

 

The group, for writers and would-be writers interested in regular get-togethers to discuss writing and getting published, meets twice a month in the Proctor Room. For latest details see the 'Literature' activity page.

 

Historical footnote The group first formed in 2008 as the result of a short story-writing competition organised by SAC and judged by author Fay Weldon who lives in Shaftesbury. The competition resulted in the publication of ‘A Box of Chocolates’, a book of 50 short stories contributed by some 30 local authors, including several centre members. Copies of the book, with a foreword by Fay Weldon, are for sale at SAC at £5. (See also under 'Literature'.)

eNewsletter

SAC's marketing group is hoping to launch an e-newsletter shortly so you will have many more opportunities to put out your message in future. And of course you can also do it through this page on the website.

 

If you have anything you want on this website (same specifications apply as for the programme, see above) please send to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

You can download a copy of the last (winter/spring 2011) newsletter here.

NICKI JOINS MARKETING TEAM
Nicki Porter, who wowed audiences as Prince Charming in SAC's 2011 pantomime Cinderella, has become the latest person to join SAC's eight-strong marketing group. Nicki, who lives in Shaftesbury and has worked in marketing, joined the group at the beginning of February and intends to make audience and membership market research surveys one of her top priorities in the months ahead. So be ready to start answering her questions folks! She has also volunteered to co-edit this website with Richard Thomas. Glamour added to wisdom. What a team!

Other highlights
Hardly a week goes by without some new development at the Centre, one of Shaftesbury's - and Dorset's - busiest community cultural activity centres.

Community Film Unit

 The centre's new Community Film Unit, launched in February, meets every second Wednesday of the month at 7pm in the Proctor Room.

 

The unit is open to anyone over 18 who is a member of Shaftesbury Arts Centre and who wants to get involved in film-making on either side of the camera - from actors, reporters and presenters to researchers, script-writers, producers, directors, camera-operators, and sound engineers as well those with expertise or interest in film editing on either iMovie or Final Cut Pro.

 

So whether you’re already in those categories or would like to be, get in touch. For more info contact: Richard Thomas, Coordinator (01747 850073) This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Fundraising news
The Centre's fundraising team never stops, and achieves remarkable results. Total fundraising in 2009-10 amounted to nearly £14,000, as follows:

* Catering events • 200 Club • Special shows • Special films • Raffles • Bric-a-brac sales

£6037 £2712 £2288 £1276 £1078 £455

 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2012
SAC's 2012 Annual General Meeting (for the year ended 30 September 2011) will take place on Wednesday ?th March 2012 . For a full list of current directors see 'About Us'.

 

You can view and download the formal notices for the AGM here as well as a copy of the 2009-10 Annual Report.

 

 Minutes of Board meetings
To download minutes of monthly and annual meetings of the Centre's Board of Trustees click on the word 'here'. Please note minutes are not final until adopted at the trustees meeting following the date on which the meeting takes polace.

 

Minutes of September 2011 meeting here

Minutes of August 2011 meeting

Minutes of July 2011 meeting

Minutes of June 2011 meeting

Minutes of May 2011 meeting

Minutes of April 2011 meeting

Minutes of the March 2011 meeting here.

Minutes of the February 2011 meeting here.

Minutes of the January 2011 meeting here.

Minutes of the December 2010 meeting here.

SAC accounts
To download annual and monthly accounts of Shaftesbury Arts Centre for the financial year 2011-12 click on the heading below.

 

September 2011 statement & report

August 2011 statement & report
July 2011 statement & report

June2011 statement & report

May 2011 statement & report

April 2011 statement & report

March 2011 statement & report

 

 Appointments

 For a diagram of how the Centre is organised and who is responsible for what click here.
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Comments
Got an opinion you want to share? Go to 'Contact Us'.

Members notices
Free advertising section for Centre members to advertise items for sale, items they want, items they've lost and items they've found.  Just email details, including your contact details, to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

For sale/hire/rent Space vacant
Wanted Space vacant
Lost Space vacant
Found Space vacant

Vacancies/opportunities
Another free advertising section if you are looking for someone to fill a vacancy or if you are looking to fill a vacancy. Email details, including your contact details, to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .