From TONY ELLIS, founder / chairman King's Lynn Poetry Festival
I am deeply disturbed to hear that Arc may lose its grant.
Arc is unique in bringing to our culture the poetry from the Commonwealth and from other cultures around the world that simply are not available in this country otherwise.
During the last 10 years through Arc we at King's Lynn have been able to meet and hear writers in their own language and in translation from a variety of different countries. There is no doubt this has boosted our knowledge and understanding of different nationalities and cultures. As a part of the country that has had an inundation of residents from Eastern Europe ,particularly the 'new' EU countries, I believe it is as essential for our traditional Norfolk residents to learn to know their background as it is for them to get to know ours.
It has become one of the most agreeable features of our Poetry Festival to have Arc's writers here.I am thinking particularly of Larissa Millar from Russia whose warmth and communication created a very genuine two way affection and understanding with the large audience who attended her event when she said "I have felt your breath" to the audience at King's Lynn.
I am thinking also of Mila Haugova, Cevat Capan, the great Tomaz Salamun and Valerie Rouzeau from France and many others. Without Arc we would not have been privileged to hear these writers and to begin to understand their different cultures.
I know many others have benefitted similarly
There is literally no one else providing this essential link with the inhabitants of these different parts of the world,many of whom are of course now coming to form part of our own society by moving to UK.
It will be devastating if this is lost.