Statement expected on Abbey future
A statement is expected shortly from the advisory committee of the Abbey Theatre, who have been voting on proposals which will change the way the iconic theatre is run.
The move follows the financial crisis at the theatre, which sustained losses of €1.85m last year.
In the wake of news about the crisis, radical proposals were drawn up by the Abbey Theatre board and the Arts Council, and approved by the Minister for Arts John O’Donoghue, to change the company structure, and the way the board is selected.
Today the 21-member Advisory Committee is voting on resolutions that will enable changes to the structure and governance of the theatre.
They are debating whether to approve or reject four resolutions, which include allowing for the dissolution of the current company and the setting up of a new limited company.
The National Theatre Society has run the theatre since its foundation in 1904, but a report last month by accountants KPMG found serious accounting errors and poor financial controls at the theatre, and recommended changes to the way the Abbey’s board was chosen.
The Arts Council has threatened to cut off funding if the changes are not approved by the National Theatre Society’s shareholding body, the Advisory Council.
