Arts Council grants
Sir: In his review of John Elsom's book The History of the National Theatre (1 April) Ted Whitehead expressed the hope that the relative level of expenditure on the National Theatre would not be detrimental to other drama activities, instancing the current difficulties at the Royal Court and the Open Space.
Unfortunately the figures he quotes are incorrect. In the year to 31 March 1977 the Arts Council spent £5,650,503 on drama excluding £2,436,500 on the National Theatre and £1,300,000 on the Royal Shakespeare Company. The national companies continue to receive proportionally less of the Council's grant-in-aid than they did ten years ago despite the creation.of the National Theatre building with its hdacore of building overhead costs.
The grant from the Arts Council to the Open Space and Royal Court has been maintained, indeed increased. Would that they had been as fortunate with all their subsidising bodies!
John Faulkner Drama Director, Arts Council of Great Britain, 105 Piccadilly, London W1
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