Arena Season 1, Episode 243

How Glorious is the Garden? · BBC Four · Monday, March 18

Tonight Arena and Newsnight join forces to mount a major studio debate between the embattled factions of the arts world. 'The Glory of the Garden' was the Arts Council's blueprint for a redistribution of its grants favouring regional centres over London. Now a head-long battle has developed between those administering funds and those who are the beneficiaries.... or the losers. The National Theatre has threatened 100 redundancies, and the Cottesloe could go dark in April. The English National Opera sees its programme in jeopardy. The Council's Literature Department narrowly escaped the axe, and half of the drama panel have resigned. In this atmosphere of open warfare, how can the garden grow? Has the Arts Council, in the words of its critics, 'betrayed the arts and lent itself to party politics' or have just and sensible policies become the target for partisan hysteria? Tonight the council confronts its critics. Introduced by John Tusa and Joan Bakewell.