Arts Council funding applications: 'a fantastic response'

The Arts Council has just announced that around 1,340 arts organisations got their applications for continuing funding in, before the deadline on Monday. The exact total won't be known until all the applications are processed. ACE chief executive Alan Davey described the number of applications as "a fantastic response". However when the funding decisions are announced on 30 March, it clearly won't be so fantastic for hundreds of organisations which will get nothing. ACE already warned those applying : "Bear in mind that the Arts Council has now to operate with an overall cut to grant in aid of 29.6 % ... very few organisations will receive more funding, many will receive yes, and there will be a significant number of applications we are unable to fund."