Cuts, cuts, cuts: this seems to be the endless refrain that attends any discussion of the arts in the United Kingdom. On the one hand many recognise the profound benefits to a civilised society of a vibrant cultural sector; however, the reality is increasingly characterised in certain areas by a woeful lack of investment, a crumbling infrastructure and the loss of skills and expertise. Such issues are often explored in the press and have been aired in the past in the Editorials of this Magazine.