Plans to cut funding for a popular gay and lesbian arts festival have been criticised by MPs.
Arts Council England is to end its funding of queerupnorth in March, meaning the end of the organisation and its annual festival in Manchester.
John Leech, Lib Dem MP for Manchester Withington, is calling for Arts Council England to rethink its decision.
A spokesman for the body said: "We believe that queerupnorth still does not represent best value for money."
'Unique' work
He added: "Arts Council England's commitment to gay and lesbian organisations in the North West remains as strong as ever.
"In recent years we have funded the Manchester Pride (including this year's parade), Homotopia, the Lesbian and Gay Foundation and a number of specific projects including new commissions and individuals such as David Hoyle (Divine David), Sphere (a South Asian lesbian artists collective), Sparkle (for the Manchester transvestite community) and Darren Suarez."
But Mr Leech praised queerupnorth's "excellent work" and said the ending of funding would also stop its "unique" work with schoolchildren to tackle homophobic bullying.
He has table a Commons motion calling for the decision to be overturned which has been signed by four other MPs.
Appeal submitted
Queerupnorth's artistic director, Jonathan Best, said the Arts Council England had made their decision on flawed figures.
He said: "They have calculated the value for money queerupnorth gives using outdated figures and incorrect information.
"We have submitted an appeal giving them the correct figures, and we are waiting to hear their response.
"I think the idea that pride and queerupnorth are interchangeable is laughable and displays a real lack of understanding of lesbian and gay diversity generally."
Arts Council England currently funds 990 organisations.
After March, 75% of those organisations will receive an increase, but 194 will receive cuts or ending of their funding.
The body says it will be providing funding to 80 new organisations.
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