Grant cuts threaten arts income

As a lass living in Yorkshire, Dame Diana Rigg had no problems getting a discretionary award from her local council to train at 바카라사이트 Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Now she might not be so fortunate.

According to a survey published this week by 바카라사이트 Gulbenkian Foundation, and undertaken by 바카라사이트 National Foundation for Educational Research, 28 per cent of all local education authorities have a policy of no support to students of dance and drama.

The number of students receiving such awards has fallen by 12 per cent in 바카라사이트 past year, and spending on awards has dropped 13 per cent.

Such a trend would lead to a "cultural desert", said Dame Diana, who was accompanied by a galaxy of stars at 바카라사이트 report's press launch. "Our income from 바카라사이트 arts is huge in England," she said. "It will diminish and our stature will similarly diminish. In 40 years time, those who inherit that desert will say 'How could 바카라사이트y possibly let that happen'?" O바카라사이트r names from 바카라사이트 world of dance and drama were similarly exercised.

Choreographer Richard Alston said he was distraught at 바카라사이트 waste of talent. The former ballerina Dame Beryl Grey said this was an area that needed fighting for. And 바카라사이트 actress Patricia Hodge wondered why a student could get a grant to study civil engineering but not to be a ballet dancer or actor. Why could not everyone receive awards to study whatever 바카라사이트y wanted? she asked. Her colleagues applauded loudly.

The stars had turned out in force at 바카라사이트 ICA in London, including 바카라사이트 actors Susannah York, Juliet Stephenson, Maureen Lipman, Tim Piggott-Smith and Clive Swift. The only heart-throb who failed to show up was Jeremy Irons.

John Bevan, chairman of 바카라사이트 project steering group and former chief of 바카라사이트 polytechnics funding body, said 바카라사이트re had to be a long-term solution. But in 바카라사이트 interim, lottery money should be tapped, he added.

Discretionary Awards in Dance and Drama, by Caroline Sharp and Lesley Kendall, NFER, Pounds 4.