From Richard Lutz.
The Arts Council wielded its axe today in response to the government demand to chop back spending in the cultural world.
Big names in the West Midlands to feel the bite for the financial year 2014-2015 are: Tindal Street Publishing which loses its total Arts Council grant by 2014; Birmingham Royal Ballet which gets cut back 15 per cent as does the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry. The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford also gets hit hard with a 15 per cent cut.
Organisations that are reduced by 11 per cent include, the CBSO, the Ikon and the MAC as well of Birmingham Opera Company.
For the financial year 2014, though, there are some winners in the West Midlands. Wolverhampton Arts and Museum Service is up 73 per cent for its annual Arts Council funding and the Black Country Touring Company gets a 23 per cent increase to £150,000 for the year. Fierce Festival in Birmingham sees a 50 per cent hike. And the award winning Stan’s Café theatre group lands a 37 per cent increase for the year to £163,000.
To see the full list, click on to:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/mar/30/arts-council-funding-decisions-list#data
..and then scroll down to the West Midlands. It doesn’t make pleasant viewing for those that like to go out and see live stuff.