A POWYS arts charity has announced it will close its dance centre at the end of March and there will be a pause in projects, programmes, operations and classes for six months.

Impelo has been described as a “lifeline” by its many Powys users, but being stripped of funding has led to them taking drastic measures.

Its dance centre, located in Llandrindod Wells, will shut its doors at the end of March, and its community outreach programmes across Powys will cease until the end of September.

The dance charity announced the news in a Facebook post on Thursday, February 29.

“As a dance community, we're used to expressing the inexpressible. Yet, today, words must carry the weight of our circumstances, as we explore a new future,” read the post.

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“There will be a temporary pause in all of Impelo's outreach work as well as the closure of the dance centre starting April 2024.

“This decision stems from the recent loss of multi-year funding and is amplified by the escalating cost of living.”

Impelo says around 270 people access the dance centre in Landrindod every week. The charity's eldest participant is 87 and their youngest is just 12 weeks old.

Its bi-weekly sessions beyond the dance centre reach people across Powys, and it works in early years settings, currently being delivered in Newtown. Ten Powys schools the company currently supports are in the most deprived areas of the county.

In a statement on its website, Impelo added: “We recognise the profound emotional impact that these incredibly difficult decisions carry – from the aspiring young dancers to the families who find joy in our classes, from the schools that transform their halls into studios to the freelance artists and staff who are the lifeblood of our work.

County Times: Impelo has been described as a “lifeline” by its many Powys users. Impelo has been described as a “lifeline” by its many Powys users. (Image: Stella Patrick)

“Together we will work towards a future with resilience and creativity, building on our commitment to you, our community and our belief in the transformative power of dance.

“We are determined to not only weather this storm but to emerge from it with renewed strength and vision, together in September 2024."

“The immediate first steps of our journey look like: the dance centre will be closing its doors at the end of March 2024.

“A pause in our projects, programmes, operations and classes will take place from April to September 2024.”

In December, Impelo’s board of trustees announced it was working on identifying priorities for the charity in the aftermath of the Arts Council of Wales’ (ACW) investment review.

Impelo was unsuccessful in its bid to remain part of the ACW’s multi-year funded portfolio of organisations, as the number of dance organisations benefitting from funding was reduced from seven to just four across Wales, of which three are in South Wales.

County Times: Impelo's dance centre, located in Llandrindod Wells, will shut its doors at the end of March, while its community outreach programmes provided throughout Powys will cease until the end of September. Impelo's dance centre, located in Llandrindod Wells, will shut its doors at the end of March, while its community outreach programmes provided throughout Powys will cease until the end of September.

Impelo has since been canvassing opinions of its users, supporters, participants, partner organisations and freelance workforce to gain insight into the potential impact a reduction or cessation in activities would have on local communities.

Among the responses were heartfelt statements from people who have encountered their work at difficult times in their lives; including new parents facing isolation and loneliness, people living with dementia and Parkinson’s and young people with additional learning needs.

Damian Kerlin, chair of Impelo’s board of trustees, says the impact that cuts across the arts in Powys amounts to a reduction in investment of almost £250,000.

“It’s pretty much the funding that keeps us going; without it, it’s hard to see how we keep the glitterball turning and those bodies moving,” said Damian.

Since January 2023, Impelo says it has delivered around 1,000 dance and creative sessions, with 14,000 participations, and presented dance performances in schools, early years, health and care settings, as well as at the dance centre. 

An open letter sent to the ACW was signed by over 500 people.

More information on Impelo’s activities and how to support their work can be found at www.impelo.org.uk.