The UK Arts Council Tiff

From the dissed artists' point of view, it's an issue of cutting loose the small fish to save the biggies.

Where will the new renaissance come from in the theatre if we kick away all the opportunities for actors, writers, directors, designers, stage managers, to practise their craft?

Without the opportunity to start small at the Bush or the Gate, how do you progress to writing for the National? Cut funding to our smaller spaces, and you will eventually starve our larger ones to death.

While we here can only dream of an "Arts Council," this general principle strikes me as pretty applicable. We've seen big donors and granting agencies flock toward the already successful ("challenge grants," etc.). As with the Calvinist "Elect" it seems the surest way to show you deserve more money is to make more money yourself. Their success simply manifests their deservedness.