Sir Patrick Stewart, Penelope Wilton and Samuel West are among the stars who have signed and delivered a petition to Downing Street calling for a “coherent” arts policy.
Last week, more than 200 organisations lost out on annual funding from Arts Council England.
The petition asks the government for an “arts summit” involving funding bodies and artists to give the industry a clear direction.
Some 695 groups will get funding for 2012 to 2015 – down from 849 – while 110 new groups have been successful.
