Cross artform

A new organisation being formed to prevent and tackle bullying and harassment across the creative industries has received support from the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and UK Theatre.

The Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) will work to uphold and improve standards of behaviour across the creative industries by providing services, insight, research, policy, influence and advocacy.

CIISA’s work providing services is expected to include mediation, investigation, early dispute resolution and immediate advice, while its work on influence and advocacy is likely to include lobbying for a legal definition of bullying, preventing misuse of NDAs, advocating for better advice and protections for freelancers, and promoting inclusivity.

SOLT and UK Theatres backing for CIISA follows support from the film and TV sectors, with music expected to follow suit in the coming months.

Co-Chief Executives of the two theatre trade associations, Claire Walker and Hannah Essex, said the “theatre sector welcomes this opportunity to show its commitment to tackling bullying and harassment once and for all. 

“We look forward to working with our members to support the development of this much-needed organisation in the coming months.”

CIISA Interim Chief Executive Jennifer Smith added: “The purpose of CIISA is prevention from harm and to ensure there are consistently safe workplaces for our talented workforce to thrive in. 

“We are delighted to be working very closely with the theatre sector’s leading performing arts trade bodies alongside the film and TV industries and thank them for their commitment and support for CIISA as we continue to develop our proposals over the coming months.”

A former church in Gateshead is set to become a community and arts hub after restoration plans secured funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Gateway Studio, a dance and related arts charity, has received £1.4m in funding. The money will be used to acquire and restore the Trinity Centre, a Grade I-listed former church located on Gateshead High Street, one of town’s oldest sites.

Plans for the development of the building include the creation of studio perfromance space for open mic nights, acoustic sets and art exhibitions to showcase local talent, as well as office accommodation and a café.

Renovations are scheduled to be completed by September 2024.

“Dance and the arts are powerful tools in transforming individuals and communities,” Martin Hylton, Founder and Chief Executive of Gateway Studio, told the BBC.

“This new development will not only put Gateshead firmly on the map, in terms of developing and supporting professional artists, but will also help to transform the local community.”

Angela Douglas, Gateshead Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Leisure, said the new arts space was “an exciting and ambitious project”.

“As one of our only dedicated dance spaces in the borough, I'm sure the regeneration of the Trinity Centre will unlock their full potential,” she said.

A strand of Coventry’s UK City of Culture creative programme helped local audiences engage with nature, sustainability and social change, according to an evaluation report.

Green Futures, which took place in 2021/22 and was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, was designed to increase awareness of environmental issues and use of outdoor spaces.

An evaluation report by the University of Warwick and Coventry University found the programme was delivered by 170 partners and artists and reached over 150,000 people.

More than three quarters (78%) of participants in one project, which saw the distribution of seeds to create 10,000 square meters of ‘pollinator pathways’ in Coventry, said they felt an increase in civic pride. The project has also been attributed to a 74% increase in footfall along the Coventry Canal during the City of Culture year.

The evaluation also says the Green Futures programme facilitated spaces for previously seldom heard groups to come together, share stories and connect with their communities.

Martin Sutherland, Chief Executive of Coventry City of Culture Trust, says the report “evidences that the many artists, organisations and members of the public who came together in the pursuit of a green future did so extremely successfully and the role of arts, culture and collaboration in finding solutions to the climate crisis is clear”.

 “One of the key goals of the City of Culture year was to engage the public with nature and set the tone for lasting social and environmental change,” he added.

“Green Futures has always been a driving force of our plans for the future and we look forward to continuing this work in the city through the legacy of City of Culture.”