Vince Cable

On February 1st, the Orange Tree theatre will learn if it is one of 194 arts organisations across the UK which will have its Arts Council money cut. A major re-organisation of funding is taking place with some new winners and some bad losers. Most of the 194 bodies have appealed and it is hoped that at least some of the funding will be protected from the Arts Councils managed funds.

Vincent Cable, MP, has written to the Arts Council to stress the value of the Orange Tree theatre: "I suspect that someone in the grant giving body has decided that we are a rich borough and therefore support for the theatre is unnecessary. Such a short sighted approach would disregard the key role of the theatre in developing brave, experimental productions which would not otherwise get a viewing and the role it plays in supporting actors. Obviously there are tough choices to be made in any funding decisions but this one seems spectacularly ill advised".