As Darlington Civic adds a book prize to its centenary celebrations the long-term future for some touring theatre companies and venues is looking worrying

GOOD news: the North-East and North Yorkshire biggest venues and companies are likely to escape the worst of the 2008-2011 funding cuts being suggested by Arts Council England (ACE).

Bad news: If small touring companies from outside the region have all of their grants withdrawn then places like Darlington Arts Centre will have a struggle booking quality theatre for its customers.

Lynda Winstanley, performing arts officer with Darlington Borough Council's new-look Cultural Services Department, reveals this conundrum as we sit discussing the town's spring season for the 100-year-old Civic Theatre and nearby Arts Centre.

"Many theatre companies - like Quicksilver, Kaos, Redshift and Compass - that we've booked for years have been informed of a catastrophic loss in funding which has put them in terrible difficulty,"

explains Lynda.

She feels particularly strongly about the plight of Birmingham-based Asian company Tara Arts which she supported in the North- East and seen them build strong audiences.

"They are bringing just one show this year, The Tempest, to the Arts Centre on February 12, but I'm not sure they'll continue coming after a proposed 50 per cent cut in funding,"

Lynda explains about the long-term threat.

Tara, like many theatres and companies, has appealed against this decision. The deadline for such protests was yesterday and "confirmation of funding" (sic) is due on Thursday.

The full impact won't be felt until the summer and autumn seasons as venues and touring shows shut down. But stars like Kevin Spacey, Sam West, Joanna Lumley and Sir Ian McKellen have already blasted ACE with Sam West saying: "If you cut off smaller theatres you'll starve our national theatre to death."

Newcastle-based ACE North-East is reluctant to comment on the funding crisis until after January 31 but a spokeswoman revealed that over the next three years the spending on 84 organisations will be around £13.5m for two years rising to £14.5m in 2010- 11). However, the cash will have to stretch to finance three new arts organisations.

"It is our intention to provide 89 per cent of the arts organisations we fund in the North- East with an uplift either in line with, or above, inflation. The remaining 11 per cent of the existing portfolio, we intend to standstill or withdraw their funding," she said.

Better news: Darlington Civic Theatre celebrated its 100th anniversary year pantomime with the news that the run of Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs set a new record and inspired £10,000 of bookings for Jack And The Beanstalk which follows this Christmas.

Lynda Winstanley is particularly pleased that the producers of Disney's Beauty And The Beast selected Darlington for the launch of the popular musical's latest tour, March 20- 29. The show contains a transformation of Beast to prince which is truly magical as well as all the popular characters based on the Disney animated movie.

Back-to-back dramas - A Touch Of Danger starring Simon Ward (February 12-16) and Sleuth starring Simon MacCorkindale and Michael Praed (February 18-25) - are followed by a mighty production of War & Peace which runs over two performances. The Shared Experience company tour has Part 1 and Part 2 on consecutive evenings (February 28-29) or an opportunity to watch both shows on the March 1-2 weekend with a meal-break in between. Box Office: 01325-486555.

COMPETITION: The theatre celebrated its centenary on September 2, 2007, and presented a special programme to help mark the occasion. The book Of Fish and Actors was written by Chris Lloyd, deputy editor of The Northern Echo to mark the centenary. Stars such as Tim Pigott-Smith and Ken Dodd, signed a number of these books, and TWO Northern Echo readers have the chance to win a rare edition. To enter answer the question below and send it to: The Northern Echo Competition, Marketing Department, The Arts Centre, Vane Terrace, Darlington, DL3 7AX by Saturday, February 2. Question: When did Darlington Civic Theatre celebrate its centenary?