The Brighton Festival could be scaled back as part of drastic measures being considered by arts organisations across Sussex to cope with impending budget cuts.

Other high-profile venues such as the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill and the Chichester Festival Theatre are also preparing for at least a 10% cut to one of their main sources of income.

Arts Council England (ACE) has been told by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, that its budget could be cut by up to 30% over the next four years.

As a result, it has asked all the organisations that it regularly funds, including 11 in Brighton and Hove and six across the rest of Sussex, to prepare a business plan as if their annual budget has been slashed by 10%.

Brighton Dome and Festival, which received nearly £3 million between 2008-10, would need to save £100,000 a year.

It said it would have to reduce the number of original work it commissioned to balance its books, meaning it could be more difficult to attract another big name curator.

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