MERSEYSIDE’S cultural organisations will be busy regrouping this morning, after Arts Council England announced mixed fortunes for those applying for funding for up to 2015.

Twenty of the region’s arts institutions will share a £24.6m pot for the three years from April, 2012.

Core organisations including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Everyman & Playhouse, FACT and The Bluecoat will lose up to 11% of their annual grants, while eight previously regularly funded bodies will receive no ACE support at all.

It is a double whammy for many arts groups, as funding from local councils has also been cut due to the squeeze on local government budgets.

Claire McColgan, Liverpool City Council’s head of culture, said ongoing funding to the arts was crucial to sustaining the local economy.

She said: “We have been working closely with our colleagues at the Arts Council to protect the arts in the city, including looking at ways to ensure a strong and sustainable future.

“The arts have a huge impact both on the quality of life of local people as well as adding to the appeal for visitors to the region and the resurgence of Liverpool’s economy.”

Large increases were awarded to arts development organisation Hope Street Limited and The Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra, which both more than doubled their current grants to enable them to expand their outreach work.

Collective Encounters, practitioners of theatre for social change, will also receive a substantial increase of 76.8% to £83,500 for the year 2014/15.