Management at Cork Opera House claims that the venue is being chronically neglected financially by a Government which it says has a tendency to allocate most of its funds to theatres in Dublin.
At the 42nd a.g.m. of the Cork Opera House yesterday, the executive director, Mr Gerry Barnes, said he was dissatisfied with current funding received by the venue.
"Cork Opera House has received only 15 per cent real increase in the last 10 years from the Arts Council while the council received more than 300 per cent increase in its funds to dispense."
Cork Opera House management is keen to emphasise that 57 per cent of its funding for capital expenditure since 1993 has come from the local authorities, Cork Corporation and County Council. Twenty-five per cent of the £6.2 million spent during that period has come from Opera House fund-raising and borrowing and the final 18 per cent has come from the Government.
The chairman of the Opera House, Mr Charlie Hennessy, has called on the Government to fulfil its role as laid out in the Cork Arts Plan 1990.
"What is the direction of the current arts policy? Is there no agreed agenda working between the local authorities, Department of Arts and the Arts Council?"
Mr Hennessy added that venues such as the Opera House were being used as political pawns between central Government and local authorities.
Opera House management also says that the deregulation of Arts Council funding of producing companies has led to a decline in productions which tour the regions.
The theatre announced an annual turnover of £2.25 million and the first loss, of £94,000 before depreciation, in three years was announced.
Losses were attributed to the closure of the theatre for six months for refurbishment.
A recent benchmark study of British theatres showed that the Opera House had more performances and retained more of it box office incomes than its British counterparts.
It was claimed that the Opera House may have to question its long-term viability unless greater funding and some form of multi-annual assistance is allocated.
The director of the Cork Opera House, Dr T.J. McHugh, said that the funding was essential to make Cork a worthy contender for the title of European Capital of Culture in 2005.