Monday, December 17, 2007

English Arts Funding Cuts and Bruises

The English Arts Council has just announced funding changes for next year. Rather than build stability and long-term commitments, the council is rewarding some arts organizations and cutting or eliminating funding for others. According to Mark Brown's article in today's Guardian:

Possible winners:

Royal Opera House
Royal Shakespeare Company
Thames Festival
Unlimited Theatre
Serious Events
Birmingham Jazz

Possible losers:

National Student Drama Festival
Exeter Northcott Theatre
Darby Playhouse
City of London Sinfonia
London Mozart Players
Drill Theatre

And all this with an overall rise in the Arts Council's budget. One of the questions I would have about the Arts Council's process (which the Guardian article doesn't address) is whether or not they have been working closely enough with their member organizations on audience, financial, and infrastructure targets before they decide to wield the axe.

(Via Jessica Duchen)

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