The arts are not just Covent Garden, the National theatre and the British Museum ('The arts are on a knife's edge', 1 December). The arts include all those wonderful projects led by artists in communities, ie the projects which most local authorities have stopped funding. The arts have already suffered outside London – the term arts development officer is no longer heard in the shires. Professional arts are no longer seen much outside the large cities. Philistinism is alive and well.
Bella D'Arcy Reed
Maldon, Essex
• So Flintoff "girl-swatted off-balance as if he was trying to kill a butterfly", did he (Flintoff's corner say: Well done, now quit while you're ahead, 4 December). Perhaps Kevin Mitchell would care to trade "girl-swats" with Nicola Adams?
Ruth Eversley
Oldham, Lancashire
• On two occasions recently your coverage of Leveson has included a reference to Max Mosley where you have wrongly inserted an additional e in his surname (Pro-reform campaign, 27 November; The findings, 30 November). For obvious reasons, I should be grateful if you could get this right in future.
Dr Russell Moseley
Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
• I don't think it's a strange coincidence that both Cameron and a Murdoch spokesman should both use the same terminology "crossing the Rubicon" (Letters, 1 December). Just an example of the "working together" that Rebekah Brooks was so looking forward to.
Alan Neil
Stockport, Cheshire
• I carry no scintilla of a brief for the chancellor, but as winter begins on 21 December, I have no difficulty with the notion of his autumn statement being delivered today (Letters, 4 December).
W Stephen Gilbert
Corsham, Wiltshire
• At a disciplinary meeting I was chairing also back in the 90s (Letters, 3 December), the union official present asked me if we could adjourn the meeting for a few moments while he took his member out. It would have been unreasonable to refuse.
Frederika Ritherdon
Tockholes, Lancashire
