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From David Dixon, Director of The Phone Room

In the last issue of ArtsProfessional (issue 67, February 9), John Matthews complains that lack of communication between cultural organisations leads them to spend too much time re-inventing wheels. I urge John to be a little quieter!

Like him I earn part of my money by selling my expertise in wheel invention and improvement and where would it all end if our clients learnt from each other? I earn a reasonable living helping clients who still think that the old square wooden wheels are best (some don't realise they could be any other shape).

No, the DCMS, Arts Councils, Re:source, TMA and so on should stick to their well-trodden paths, dividing their efforts carefully on geographical or sectoral lines to avoid cross-contamination. After all, what could museums and theatres possibly learn from each other, and how could anyone think that cultural organisations in different parts of the country have anything in common? Please think of the welfare of the children of wheel inventors everywhere and resist the siren calls to co-operate!