Arts trail cutting back as funding dries up

An arts group says it may be forced to cut back on its work after seeing funding dry up in the last year.

Jess Richards from the Shrewsbury Arts Trail said it was a growing problem nationally and added: "You could sense the worry between different arts organisations."

The walking trail has been running for five years and takes people around town, culminating in a big open exhibition at Shrewsbury museum.

But Ms Richards said the organisation would have to look at reducing the outreach work it did in schools because of the funding shortage.

In previous years the trail has featured artists including David Hockney, Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon and Anish Kapoor.

Organisers claimed it had brought tens of thousands of people to the town.

Ms Richards said: "Previously we've been lucky with many different grants", but that started to change last year.

"You could feel this worry, and this year it was even worse," she said.

The arts trail has employed a professional bid writer to put together its applications, but this year it has had no success with any of the big funds.

"I can't even afford to apply for any more," Ms Richards said.

She said she had heard of one arts fund which had 712 applications for just 15 grants, showing the number of organisations feeling the need for financial help.

She also said feedback was hard to come by, but one funding body told her she had met all the criteria but apologised and said there was simply not enough money for her.

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