IdeasTap set to close after 6 years : The reaction

Arts charity IdeasTap announced this week that it is set to close on June 2nd after a 6-year run following a funding shortfall.

The much loved charity that has supported young creative talent has been unable to make up the funding gap required to keep it going despite efforts to attract corporate sponsors and celebrity support.

Peter De Haan, Founder and Chairman of IdeasTap issued an open letter to the creative community to announce the closure of the site:

"Today, I am the bearer of sad news. On the 2nd of June 2015, IdeasTap will shut its doors. It is a painful day for me, and for the whole IdeasTap team.
Over the last six years we have worked hard to make IdeasTap what it is today, and I am enormously proud of what we and our members have achieved together. Ultimately, however, we simply do not have the funding to continue – although we will honour all existing commitments to our members, partners, funders and suppliers.

I set up IdeasTap in 2008 amid the fast-growing global financial crisis. My trustees and I could see the impact it was going to have on young people leaving education and, in particular, we were concerned about those entering the arts and creative industries. We wanted to do something about it, and IdeasTap was our response: funding for creative projects, unique industry opportunities, training, advice, online and offline networking, job listings and more – all for free."

IdeasTap has more than 180,000 members to-date and provides resources to the arts community, and financing for projects. It has also run successful mentoring workshops and works with a host of partners from the BFI to the National Youth Theatre to provide young talent with opportunities to break into the film and creative industries.

Within hours of the announcement, a group was set up on Facebook called 'Save Ideas Tap' which attracted more than 10,000 supporters. Users on Twitter have also been voicing their disappointment and petitioning the UK's Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to help support the arts. A petition has also been launched to gather industry backing for the charity.

Georgina Morton, an acting student at Drama Centre London along with her class and staff members issued a video statement about IdeasTap and why it should be saved.

In order for the charity to maintain its current commitment to the creative community it needs core funding of £2 million a year. Without government support or corporate financing it will close its membership site in June, but retain its database until September should an 11th hour funding opportunity come through.

Does this affect you? What do you think of IdeasTap?