Opinion

Arts Council outrage

December 17, 2007 24:00
1 min read

The Guardian today reports an outrageous decision by the Arts Council:Nearly 200 arts organisations in England have been told that their funding will end from next April in the biggest and most bloody cull since the Arts Council was set up more than 50 years ago.

Pre-Christmas letters from Arts Council England have been dropping on the mats of groups across the arts, telling them they cannot expect to continue receiving public money.

This is wrong. Very wrong. As the report continues:Many organisations will, however, have had good news. Of the 990 bodies which get funding, three-quarters have been told to expect inflation or above rises. What kind of decision is that? Why are they only cutting the grant to 200 bodies, when the taxpayer is still being made to fund almost 700 more?