Talking about the arts in economic terms is 'philistine' and 'self-defeating', critics argue He added he was "extraordinarily wary" of all British arts being held up to the example of the profitable London theatres, with a "huge danger" of "splitting" between the South East of England and everywhere else. "Enormous cuts on the scale we have been warned about would have a really, really damaging impact everywhere," he said. But the bigger and immediate danger is what's happening outside London. I would be extremely worried about this sink or swim approach. If I was outside London I would think that was the writing on the wall. We know the worst case scenario by looking at the consequences of the repeated reduction in funding in the 80s, when 25 per cent of theatres over the whole country closed. Dame Liz Forgan, former chairman of Arts Council England, told the BBC the economic approach could result in "worse art." "The danger in what she [Mrs Miller] is saying is that people actually start to believe that because art produces huge economic benefits, we should start directing our investment in culture for its commercial potential," she said. That's not only philistine, it's self-defeating, because then you get accountants making artistic decisions, which is as silly as having artists making accounting ones. If you start to invest in art because of an identified commercial outcome, you will get worse art and therefore we will get a worse commercial outcome. Mark Rubinstein, president of the Society of London Theatre, said it would be "easy" for leading figures to respond to Mrs Miller's call, having spelled out the financial benefits of the arts for years. "But to suggest economics is the only argument is to miss the impact that theatre and arts have in what it means to be a citizen," he said. He also warned substantial cuts would also put the "delicate ecosystem" of the theatre at risk, meaning the valuable training ground for national stars would disappear. Neil Constable, chief executive of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, said a focus on economics was "narrow," adding the arts also had a positive impact on health, offending rates and education. Roly Keating, chief executive of the British Library, added "real success comes when cultural value and economic value are built hand in hand."