The Bookseller.com

5th December 2008

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Arcadia and Dedalus 'still in dark'

29.01.08 Tom Tivnan

Arcadia Books and Dedalus Publishing are still in the dark about their Arts Council England (ACE) funding settlement, despite media reports that suggest both publishers will get a reprieve.

Rumours have intensified following an article in the Sunday Times this weekend suggesting that ACE was backing down. The two literature in translation specialists were alleged to be two of the 25 threatened organisations to be spared from the axe by ACE chairman Sir Christopher Frayling.

But Dedalus m.d. Eric Lane said ACE had most recently been in touch to refuse Dedalus’s Freedom of Information requests for documents in anticipation of an upcoming lawsuit against the funding body. He added: “I think the campaign may help. We are very popular at the moment, if our money is not reinstated there will be a lot of people who will fight in our corner.”

Gary Pulsifer, Arcadia m.d., said he had only been contacted by ACE to be told final decisions would be announced on the 1st February.

An ACE spokeswoman dismissed the Times article as “pure speculation” adding: “We could not possibly comment on funding settlements until we notified the arts organisations directly.”

tom tivnan Arts Council England Arcadia Dedalus