Hundreds gather in the West End to protest against ACE funding cuts

Published Wednesday 16 January 2008 at 11:55 by Alistair Smith

Hundreds of masked theatre practitioners have gathered in Piccadilly Circus to protest against Arts Council England’s funding procedure.

A ‘flash mob’ style protest, led by directors from the Young Vic Genesis project and including more than 200 young theatre directors, actors, producers, took to the streets in the West End yesterday (January 15).

A statement issued by the group said: “As a community of young theatre makers, we feel betrayed by Arts Council England’s procedure in making this year’s round of funding cuts. We are responding as a community.

“As a new generation of theatre makers, we want an arts council we can trust and with whom we can build a bright future for British theatre.”

The move follows a ‘vote of no confidence’ in ACE taken by hundreds of actors and other industry figures at the Young Vic last week.

At the end of last year, ACE announced it was undertaking a major overhaul of its regular funded companies, cutting funding completely to nearly 200 of its regularly funded organisations - around a fifth of its portfolio. It also plans to introduce 80 new companies, while 75% of its clients received an inflationary increase or more.