You are probably right to say Arts Council England "played the hand as well as could reasonably have been expected" (Editorial, 31 May). Except that hidden, unannounced, was a major change of policy: the termination of regular funding to the eight audience development agencies across England.
Of course, Eric Pickles had described "audience development officer" as a non-job, but no one expected ACE to agree, especially as they had co-founded the agencies, in partnerships with local authorities and arts organisations. Ironically, they helped found them because they acknowledged they could never fund all arts organisations at a level to sustain marketing and audience development, so sharing the cost and effort was cost-effective. And they served all arts provision, not just the minority that is ACE-funded. Doubly ironic, in a time of recession coinciding with cuts in funding, audiences are needed in even larger numbers to close the income gap.
Until a few years ago, these audience development agencies were not grant-aided, but on contracts for their services. There is ample evidence they hugely increased attendances for the arts, reached new audiences, and managed many successful access and diversity projects. They researched and pioneered audience development techniques now copied around the world. Ignoring the importance of delivering the arts to audiences seems remarkably short-sighted – and dangerous – in these times.
Roger Tomlinson
Coton, Cambridgeshire
• As a national organisation that has had its funding totally cut, we take issue with the statement from Liz Forgan, ACE's chairwoman, that the new funding decisions "couldn't have been done in a clearer or more transparent way" (Report, 31 March). Our organisation represents professional authors who work in schools – 1,300 dedicated artists committed to sharing their practice with young people. Our mission tallies precisely with Arts Council priorities and yet we have received no explanation as to why we will not be funded from next year.
The minimal "feedback" we received stated that we had requested an uplift in funding; we had in fact asked for £10k less than this year's grant, feeling that was the proper approach in the circumstances. We are told there is no right to appeal, but we surely have a right to complain most vociferously about such "clear and transparent" lack of accuracy in addressing our particular case. We strongly believe that our application should be reviewed.
Paul Munden
Director, National Association of Writers in Education
• I have just learned that my publisher, Flambard, will not receive Arts Council funding and will have to close down some time in 2012. When some people will not have enough to eat this year, it may seem selfish to bewail the loss of a small subsidised poetry publisher; but in fact several livelihoods are involved here; most of the others have closed down already – five in one week last year – and food for the mind and spirit is also very important. As a nation we will never compete with China over the making of cars, or rivets, but our cultural heritage and output is one definite thing that still gives us standing in the world today.
I thought a coalition government would be flexible and progressive, but it has left the people with no voice at all. The axe swings where it will. So among all the lost beds, hospital admissions and operations, school teaching, university places, youth employment, social care and support, support for the elderly, libraries, and small dedicated services across this country that make life possible for so many of our citizens, please spare a moment's thought for the loss of culture: an enrichment for our life and a real source of national pride and future GDP. And please show this ghastly government, which has no mandate for any of its vandalism, the contempt they deserve.
Olivia Byard
Witney, Oxfordshire
• The cuts have devastated touring theatre to rural areas, with Northumberland Theatre Company, Forest Forge, Oxford Touring and Proteus all cut completely. This despite that over the last decades this form of theatre has proved itself extremely successful at delivering their work to people in theatre-less zones. NTC for instance is the only producer of professional theatre between Newcastle upon Tyne and Scotland, and has over 30 years' experience of taking its work to rural communities all over Britain. I have witnessed village halls and market-town arts centres packed with people, few of whom would have been able to travel to the nearest city. The Arts Council says it has upped the money of the rural touring schemes, but giving them more money to book things at the same time as cutting the companies best able to serve them is not exactly joined-up thinking.
Stewart Howson
Guyzance, Northumberland
• I too deplore the scale of the arts cuts, but Polly Toynbee's description of the South Bank as "blossoming … as a hub of community activity" (Comment, 29 March) will surprise the many local people who, before the Royal Festival Hall refurbishment, used to enjoy free music, often for dancing, every weekend lunchtime – and some weekdays. The expensively refurbished Clore Ballroom is rarely used for dance – a disappointment to the large local community of dancers and a waste of such a facility. The new administration seems much less involved in the local community, not more.
Peter Hawkes
Croydon, Surrey
• My grandson attends a school which is doubling music tuition fees to £150. Children previously exempted, those on free school meals, will pay £50. Some parents will be unable to pay. Will the millionaire ministers who said "We are all in this together" explain how their children will suffer from the cuts?
Bob Holman
Glasgow