When the great and good of the arts world assembled to give the Arts Council a piece of their mind over its new funding strategy, it was no coincidence they did so at the Young Vic.
Actors and directors have been the most vociferous critics of cuts that will see theatres like the Bush and Orange Tree struggle to stay open.
But musical institutions are under threat, too, not least the London Mozart Players, resident orchestra at Croydon's Fairfield Halls and guest artists of the Thames Concert Series at Kingston Parish Church.
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Should LMP lose their annual grant of £160,000, the Kingston concerts would be among the first to suffer, along with the orchestra's community work.
An appeal is pending and the Arts Council will make its final offer on February 1. Is LMP hopeful of a positive result?
"The simple answer is we really don't know," says managing director Antony Lewis-Crosby, speaking from the conference of the Association of British Orchestras, Brighton.
"The decision is up to them.
"There will be no meetings or negotiation. All we can do is wait for them to read our appeal and listen to our argument."
And it is a strong one. With its new stategy, the Arts Council hopes to move away from PC box-ticking and fund excellence in ideas, planning and performance.
But, says Lewis-Crosby, at LMP the two have always gone hand in hand.
"We have top-rate musicians who, in my view, make the LMP one of the best chamber orchestras in Europe," he says, "and we are also committed to our community work."
"This is what makes the whole thing so difficult to understand. We have built up an incredible bank of community links, both with our residency in Lincolnshire and at residential care homes, special schools and secondary schools in London."
Simon Toyne, of Thames Concerts, would agree. "The LMP hugely enjoy coming to Kingston: the acoustics are terrific, the atmosphere great.
"They are prepared to put together some ambitious programmes.
"In turn, our large audiences show enormous affection and loyalty to the musicians and value and trust them hugely."
The LMP String Sextet performs Brahms, Strauss and Schoenberg in Kingston this Saturday but only three of the orchestra's four remaining appearances this season are guaranteed.
"The grant is crucial to sustaining a rich cultural life in outer London - without it, the only concerts we could afford to put on would be unimaginative, uninspiring and unambitious - all anathema to the reason we love the arts," adds Toyne.
And Crosby-Lewis has the last word: "There is a determination to find a way to survive.
"But our message to the Arts Council is just to understand the people they support and realise they are delivering the work they actually wanted. Don't take it away."
London Mozart Players, All Saints' Church, Market Place, Kingston, January 26, 8pm, £12 from Hand Music Shop, Kingston Tourist Information Bureau or ticketweb.co.uk. Call 07984 417278 or visit thamesconcerts.org.uk.
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