Letter: Cuts would plunge arts into crisis

Sir: The proposed cuts to the arts by government will plunge the artistic community in Britain into crisis. David Lister's article 'Who's watching the consultants?' (15 June) stresses this point forcibly. I wholeheartedly agree that everyone who cares about the arts must support Lord Palumbo and the Arts Council in backing the Secretary of State for National Heritage in his negotiations to reverse the projected cuts.

The national conference of the Association for Business Sponsorship of the Arts (ABSA), attended by 200 representatives of the business and arts communities in the UK, unanimously passed a motion on 14 June on this subject. A strong business climate for sponsorship and corporate giving requires a clear commitment to funding from the Government. Sponsors wish to supplement, not substitute, government funding for the arts. They cannot do the Government's job.

ABSA's business members as represented at our national conference united with the arts community in this motion. Business sponsorship of the arts is about partnership, and for that partnership to develop government funding must be kept up.

Yours faithfully,

COLIN TWEEDY

Director General

Association for Business

Sponsorship of the Arts

London, SE1

16 June