There's obviously much more profit to be made by subsidising the Olympic drug fiasco already .....

Lyn Gardner has been a lot more critical than Nicholas Serota...

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/theatre/2007/10/thanks_darling_but_this_is_sta.html

I somehow doubted what was first reported as being unimaginably good news, Andy.  Another problem is that these cases encourage a pull-the-ladder-up-Jack mentality...  Nicholas Serota got what he wanted,  and gave the Government a nice soundbite that made it sound like all was lovely in the garden.

Meantime a 35% cutback in - do you mind telling us which RAA it is? - is a colossal cut   I expect they figure on making the cuts away from London,  far from where music critics are ever seen or report from

I'm appalled to hear it, Andy - although I can't say I'm surprised,  given the lead-up to all this, and the low priority the current Govt in Britain places on the Arts     Do they understand, do you think, that the booking cycle for performers of the standard they wish(ed) to fund is around 18 months to 2+ years ahead?  Are they going to refund you the costs of cancelling these events - with artistes, with venues, reprinting season brochures and promo material, etc?

I wish I could help in some way - although (as mentioned in an earlier post) we then get into a cycle of "proving we can do it all for fourpence", and being relieved of the difference we "didn't need" on a permanent basis

Some more money available it seems, although reading between the lines, museums and galleries appear to be the areas specifically targeted.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/arts/story/0,,2190361,00.html

... which is the bit that goes to fund the "Grants for the Arts" scheme that you applied for, Andy D.

Although 'Grants for the Arts' is administered by the Arts Council the money doesn't actually come from their annual grant from the DCMS but from the National Lottery. It's that bit, not the (taxpayer-funded) directly voted 'Arts Budget' itself, which has had the 35% cut with some of the National Lottery money being diverted to the Olympics.

I had applied on behalf of a project I am involved in for some 'Grants for the Arts' funding too, with the same result as yourself

The DCMS 'Arts Budget' itself (including that part of it that goes to the Arts Council) did do surprisingly/comparatively well in the recent funding round compared with what had looked likely beforehand so in that sense it was 'good news'. There was a real fear that it would be cut to fund the Olympics but that didn't happen, hence the relative relief.

What was made clear in the Chancellor's statement though (not that it was a surprise) was that the 'Cultural Olympiad' stuff surrounding the Olympics would have to be funded out of the overall DCMS Arts Budget and that there wouldn't be any additional funding made available specifically for that. So, although the cost of the Olympics themselves won't (for the period so far announced anyway) bite into the 'Arts Budget' proper, there will undoubtedly be some squeeze in the four years up to and including 2012 as money is diverted to cultural events surrounding the Olympics   -  whatever they may turn out to be. Jude Kelly would seem to be the person to ask about that. 

[Thank you Mr S. Various Olmpics and Olmpiads now converted to Olympics and Olympiads. I await a knock on the door and torches in the face from the trademark holders.]  

                          

Small recompense, I know, but here are some Ulm pics for those whose expectations I aroused but then cruelly dashed. I wonder if there were any famous baroque composers who lived there.