DAVID WHETSTONE, Arts & Entertainment Editor, on a year of financial cuts and artistic triumphs

CUTS, cuts, cuts... the key word of 2011 wormed its way into every facet of North East life, including the arts.

The funding landscape changed dramatically because Arts Council England, in common with other quangos, was given 30% less money to distribute.

Rather than allocate smaller subsidies to all regularly funded clients, the Arts Council chose a reduced group of National Portfolio Organisations for continued support - to a lesser or greater degree than previously.

Most of these organisations responded with relief, a few – such as Middlesbrough’s Mima art gallery and The Maltings Theatre & Arts Centre in Berwick – with jubilation.

Some organisations were told their funding would be cut completely from April 2012.

Several of these, such as Northumberland Theatre Company, currently touring Hansel and Gretel to the parts most professional theatre doesn’t reach, and Newcastle’s Side Gallery, a rare showcase for documentary photography, are fighting for their lives.

The consolation, that organisations denied continued funding would still be eligible to bid for one-off grants, was tempered by the fact that those blessed with NPO status can also bid.

Only next spring will we see if the cuts of this year have proved fatal.

On the bright side, there have been some great art events to look back on and no sign that public support has nosedived.

Redundancy, or the threat of it, hung over many of us in 2011 and will continue to do so.

Assailed by the tut-tutting of a government complaining about past profligacy, we dutifully tighten our belts - and then they wonder why the economy has stalled.

In the arts, however, it was rather more boom than bust. SMG (Newcastle), which runs the Metro Radio Arena, Tyne Theatre and Playhouse Whitley Bay, reported its 10th best-year-yet in succession.