Region's arts saved from worst of cuts

Arts Council England is having to make cuts of nearly 30 per cent across its organisation, but said it would only pass on a 6.9 per cent cut in funding to the projects it supports.

In Yorkshire the projects affected include the Northern Ballet, which will lose nearly 200,000, Sheffield Theatres will see nearly 100,000 cut and Phoenix Dance.

The Arts Council’s executive director for the North, Jim Tough, said: “We have tried to minimise the impact of these cuts on arts organisations but it will be challenging and we are determined to lead the arts through this tough period.”

Following the comprehensive spending review, the Arts Council’s grant in aid will be reduced to 349.4m by 2014-15 – a 29.6 per cent cut.

A spokeswoman for the Northern Ballet said the company had prepared for the cut in funding, but warned any further cuts “would be devastating”.

She said: “We were preparing for this and have made savings where we could, there are no job losses planned.”

Lesley Jackson, executive director at Phoenix Dance in Leeds, said they had halted plans for more dancers.

And the artistic director for Sheffield Theatres, Daniel Evans, described the cuts as “undoubtedly a retrograde step”.