Financial gloom besets British Arts Council

Press, 11 October 1982, Page 17

Financial gloom besets British Arts Council

By

DIANA DEKKER

in London

The British Arts Council is looking towards the Government to stave off devastating collapses in big arts organisations with a minimum increase of 14 per cent in its annual grant. In a report, the Arts Council has warned that its minimum requirement for 1982-83 was about $22 million. Its grant in the present year is about $195 million. ’The council’s secretary general. Sir Roy Shaw, said in the report that the council would be faced by three hard

options . if it received anything significantly lower than the amount asked for. It could withdraw its grant to one of the four national companies (The Royal Opera and Ballet, The National Theatre, The English National Opera and The Royal Shakespeare Company), it could withdraw support to numerous regional arts organisations, or it could “spread the misery equally” among the 1200 organisations it supports. The last course, Sir Roy said, “could lead to collapses.” The Royal Shakespeare Company, already in ad-

vanced financial difficulties, is expected to announce this month that its accumulated deficit at the end of 1981-82 stands at about $910,000. The company was in "serious financial trouble" and there was a questionmark over its future in spite of its recent triumphs, said Sir Roy. As an illustration of the problems facing the arts in Britain, the annual report of the Halle Orchestra showed that a record deficit was avoided this year only because the symphony orchestra sold off some of its investments.