Waiting for the train wreck

I find myself sitting waiting nervously.

Sweaty palms, pursed lipped as I furiously look at the numerous twitter pages and blogs I've set-up on my laptop… I've been up since 6am this morning and finally decided to take the plunge and see what ACE (Arts Council England) has in store for the 1, 333 organisations who have applied for National Portfolio Status (NPO), a prize worth 3 - 5 years of continuous funding. Only 750 will have the prize with an estimated 200 currently funded organisations finding out that their time of ACE funding is at a an end.

7.51am It's weird how it's gone quiet… I can actually hear the tumble weeds racing across the screen of my laptop

7.53am Eclipse Theatre are the first to announce it's news… It's got the funding. It is now an NPO

8.02am The trickle of information is turning into a pouring of good news… so far. Pilot Theatre and 2Faced dance Company get NPO status

8.23am Phoenix Dance Theatre receive NPO status albeit with a 11% cut. Big contrast to Pilot Theatre who get £260,000 this year, raising to £327, 500 next year

8.33am What's interesting is what's not being said… those organisations who didn't get the prize

8.36am How is it that Phoenix Dance has received an 11% cut in funding? Is it me or is that paying Peter whilst robbing him at the same time? Everyone else who has NPO status so far has received an increase in funding

9.10am Yorkshire Dance given increase, up from around £185,000 to £323,600… about time too!

9.27am and now the bad news starts to come through. Chol Theatre and Proper Job have been cut. 100%

And so it continues. Company after company come to terms with their cuts whilst the artistic community across the UK watches...