YOUR lead story of the May 16 (£2 million arts centre hope) intrigued me.

Needless to say I am more than pleased with any enhancement of arts provision in the district, but was under the impression that money was now so tight that helping the Nonentities to improve and extend the Rose Theatre, to run the youth theatre or assist in our bringing of high quality professional playing to the area was out of the question.

I was further surprised by the assertion that all the arts groups in the area had been to a meeting to discuss this proposal. Surely you meant all the arts groups in Stourport?

The Nonentities Society was not invited - and we are the only company in the area that has the experience of running a season of plays, professional and amateur, every year.

The oldest performing arts society in the district, Kidderminster Operatic and Dramatic Society was not invited. Neither was the Arts Forum, the umbrella organisation for the arts in Wyre Forest.

The Arts Partnership, a body set up some five years ago to investigate and provide, if possible, a district arts centre has not been informed of the developments said to be taking place in Stourport.

It seems to me that the consultation exercise was a very limited one, and that leads me to be concerned about the feasibility study which is said to be almost completed.

None of the organisations I have mentioned has been contacted, there has been no attempt to do a study of the make-up of the audience at the Rose and, as far as I am aware, no interest has been taken in the two feasibility studies in the arts and an arts centre for the district, which have already been completed on behalf of the Arts Partnership.

It would be interesting to know more about the Stourport proposals but I suspect that the Kidderminster societies and the district arts organisations will wait a long time for an invitation.

COLIN YOUNG

Chairman,

The Nonentities Society

Partridge Grove, Kidderminster