Criticism of the UK Government's funding policy

I have not had time to read this in its entirety, but here is a link to an article by John Tusa of the Barbican in London which criticises the UK Government's current funding policy as regards the arts. It raises some important issues, not least should the arts be 'forced' to justify the money spent on them unless they prove how important they are for general society? I know there is a lot of anger about how the arts are being made to fit in with government policy, not least because there is a lot of discomfort about what the aim of government policy is in encouraging more people to be exposed to culture.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article1661194.ece

And because it is Friday afternoon here is a picture of a pretty cat I used to know; he lives in the Isle of Man and is a rumpy because he has no tail at all. I am not sure if he has a name as he only used to come to my dad's house for a saucer of milk, but we assumed he was deaf because he never 'meowed' or responded to voices. He was the most amazing colour, I have never seen a cat quite the same.