³ÉÈËÂÛ̳

So last year I blogged that I would keep a diary of my cultural highlights for 2010. I didn't keep the diary but a few jump out.ÌýBlack Watch at the Belfast festival, The Trip on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳2,ÌýGary & Robbie making up andÌýTake that reunited, ÌýDerry~Londonderry getting the inaugural City of Culture 2013.

But it was alsoÌýa hard year. And I feel a dread about 2011.ÌýWhen, not if, the funding cuts come thousands of artists are going to be devastated.

It's something I have never had to face. But every day I talk to the people whoÌýare driven by some kind of compulsion to create.ÌýÌý

Some are wildly successful, win prizes,Ìýare considered significant cultural figures, get buildings named after them and honorary doctorates.

Others just want to earn a living, be appreciated, have a place in which to create, or at the very least have some heating in their studio,ÌýÌýinstead of once again being at the thin edge of a very thin edge.

So now as we head into a four year spending cull on the arts, nearly £5 million estimated to be cut from DCAL's budget over the next 4 years, where now for the arts in Northern Ireland?Ìý If you were just starting outÌýand had a creative urge would you stay here? Someone said to me today that the cuts to the arts grants would weed out the dross. Harsh words? It's the climate that creativity finds itself in. I'm in the position to see who survives. Join me on Arts Extra throughout the year as we'll be keeping a close eye on the winners and the losers.Ìý