The Arts Council is pleased to announce that its independent review of the Abbey Theatre will be carried out by leading consultancy firm Bonnar Keenlyside. The company won the contract through an OJEU public tender procedure; the report is expected to be delivered to the Arts Council in May. The Arts Council is committed to working with the Abbey Theatre and its Board to ensure that it can continue to deliver on its mission as Ireland’s National Theatre and to maintain the central position in Irish cultural life that it has held for more than a century.
The review, which takes place in the context of a wider strategic review of the Arts Council's work, will examine the current business model of the Abbey Theatre, taking into account the extent to which this is shaped and influenced by the organisation's artistic activities. It will also consider whether and how the Abbey might deliver on its mission in a way that is more efficient and effective, and whether resources might be redeployed to deliver more in terms of artistic and programming outputs.
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Based in Edinburgh and founded in 1991, Bonnar Keenlyside is one of the longest established and most respected management consultants operating in the arts, cultural and heritage sector across Britain and Ireland. The firm has substantive experience in working with theatres at all scales and of all types, working on reviews, business plans, organisational development and capital development. The full terms of reference for the review are outlined in the request for tender document here.
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