Calls for unity have been made following comments accusing Arts Council England of appropriating a radical movement and likening the national funder to Nigel Farage playing the sitar at WOMAD festival.
Has Arts Council England got cultural democracy wrong? Steven Hadley and Eleonora Belfiore argue for a more thorough questioning of existing hierarchies.
Grassroots culture undeniably delivers huge benefits to communities and local economies, but Martin Cox believes it could also resuscitate the funded cultural sector.
Stunting community and voluntary arts organisations by restricting access to capital funding will hurt the whole sector in the long term, warns Emma Harvey.
Cultural regeneration in London has seen local communities priced out of their homes, but an arts organisation in Bradford is determined to prove it can work to the benefit of local people and businesses. Bernard Ginns explains how.
A commitment to empowering young people has led Battersea Arts Centre and Manchester’s Contact theatre to get involved in board game design, bicycle maintenance and community fishing. Liz Moreton and Suzie Henderson tell the story.
Willow weaving and tintype photography workshops: Kalila Storey takes us through her week working on creative projects with communities in South Derbyshire for People Express.
A survey of arts workers has revealed the strains funding cuts are putting on the sector and shown that many local authorities are yet to be convinced of the value of arts and culture.
As budgets tighten, many local authorities feel they have little choice but to cut spending on arts and culture. But how is the sector reacting and what should be done to help mitigate the damage? Frances Richens shares the findings of ArtsProfessional’s latest Pulse survey.
Charles Quick describes how a programme of creative activities built around the Preston and Lancashire City Deal has brought together artists, residents and policy makers, and been met with a surprising amount of enthusiasm.
Researcher Stephen Pritchard raises concerns that the latest evaluation of ACE’s Creative People and Places programme was based on fatally flawed methodology.
At a Culture Summit this week, Councillor David McDonald outlined how the city’s new government would deliver the SNP’s manifesto commitments around arts and culture.
A three-year evaluation has commended the Arts Council England programme as a source of learning for community arts, but raised concerns about its long-term sustainability.