Newcastle City Council to withdraw all arts funding

Newcastle City Council is to withdraw all its culture spending, BBC News reports. While some of the region's biggest institutions – such at the Baltic – won't be directly affected as their local funding comes from Gateshead Council, a number of smaller organisations, the Laing Art Gallery for example, will suffer the £1.6 million saving. The council's arts spending amounts to 0.7 per cent of its total budget.