UK ranked second most artistic country in Europe

27 Sep 2021

A study comparing the cultural performance of different nations has named The Netherlands the most artistic country in Europe, beating the UK into second. 

The study, conducted by Design Bundles, scored nations on five factors: number of museums, arts institutions and arts students, government spending on culture and total cultural export.

The UK scored highly for its popular museums and total cultural exports but had the lowest score for government funding, which compared spending on culture against GDP.

Latvia, the nation with the highest concentration of arts institutions, placed third and Estonia, the nation with the highest government spending against GDP, fourth.

"Countries such as Italy and France, which have their own amazing artistic heritage, are outranked by nations such as Latvia and Estonia, which have committed more resources comparatively to art funding and education,” a Design Bundles spokesperson explained."

Festival visit sparks call for Irish capacity events

07 Sep 2021

Irish deputy prime minister Leo Varadkar has been criticised for attending a music festival in London whilst his government maintains restrictions on live events.

Ireland’s largest music festival Electric Picnic - cancelled this year due to capacity restrictions - was scheduled for the same weekend Varadkar was spotted at Mighty Hoopla.

The Event Industry Alliance (EIA) said it was “glad” to see Varadkar trust the UK’s safety measures and demanded a full reopening of Irish venues.

“It has been repeatedly stated and acknowledged by the Taoiseach (Prime Minister Micheál Martin) and the Tánaiste (Varadkar) that the commercial event sector requires 100% capacity to be viable,” the EIA added.

Ireland authorised indoor events to resume at 60% capacity and outdoor events at 75% on Monday (September 6). A return to full capacity events has been earmarked for October 22.

Belgium prescribes culture for Covid stress

06 Sep 2021

Patients diagnosed with Covid-related stress in Brussels are being prescribed free visits to museums and galleries.

Doctors at Brugmman Hospital are offering visits to five publicly owned sites across the Belgian capital, including its centre for contemporary art, a fashion museum and a museum of the city's sewage system.

“It has been shown that art can be beneficial for health, both mental and physical,” Brussels' City Councillor for Tourism Delphine Houba said.

The idea forms part of a three-month pilot scheme designed to bolster mental health during the pandemic.

Inspiration has come from a similar programme in Quebec, Canada, where doctors prescribe up to 50 museum visits a year per patient.

City of Culture 2025 contest attracts explosion of interest

28 Jul 2021

Adding a seventh city to the longlist of bidders who will receive funding would allow more places to "complete their journey," an expert on the competition says.

Brexit Minister offers few answers, defends record on EU touring issues

30 Jun 2021

DCMS had to wait for a green light from Lord Frost to begin bilateral negotiations on touring, few of which have been agreed in the six months post-Brexit.

Women hire more balanced casts than men, study finds

11 Mar 2021

New reports highlight gender gaps in theatre and music as UNESCO warns the pandemic will be watershed for equality - one way or the other.

Cabotage crisis: Orchestras may be forced to tour illegally

03 Mar 2021

The Association of British Orchestras says there are three options moving forward: a new deal with the EU, financial support from the Government, or touring against the law.

UK has three months to save touring, sector warns

16 Feb 2021

DCMS hopes to start discussions with individual EU states in the coming weeks, but industry figures say time is running out to find practical and affordable solutions.

Scottish organisations strive to stay in Creative Europe

12 Feb 2021

Leaving the influential programme in a time of crisis would be "a travesty" - and unnecessary for devolved nations, campaigners say.

Mounting pressure for touring visas ahead of UK-EU meeting

09 Feb 2021

The sector is not giving up on EU touring visas. But ideas as to what to do next differ.

Touring visa offer 'not compatible' with Brexit goals

19 Jan 2021

DCMS Minister Caroline Dinenage says the EU did not offer work permits and the Government is focussed on navigating the new landscape rather than negotiating.

Fury and disbelief over claims UK rejected visa-free touring

13 Jan 2021

Parliament will debate whether visa-free work permits should be renegotiated as the Government blames Brussels for rejecting its "ambitious" proposals.

Keep museums open, European network says

12 Jan 2021

A new international report calls for financial support as the timeline for reopening museums lengthens.

Fears build over immigration rules for incoming artists

08 Jan 2021

Complex rules, higher costs and visa requirements are set to place new barriers to EU artists working in the UK, even for short-term contracts or single gigs. 

No successor to Creative Europe

17 Dec 2020

The UK desk of the European Union programme will close in March as funding is focused on the pandemic response.

Brexit could cause two-year cultural hiatus

19 Nov 2020

A new study warns the sector faces a unique battle against "the double consequences of Brexit and Covid-19", with communities in need of cultural funding most at risk.

Brexit: Is the Internal Market Bill a 'soft power grab'?

18 Sep 2020

Campaigners warn that devolved nations' cultural policy is at risk amid rumours Creative Europe will be transferred to the Foreign Office.

Museums face strict re-opening rules

a young man, back to us, viewing picture in a gallery
30 Apr 2020

Museums and galleries across Europe are preparing to open, but the impact of social distancing measures and a lack of tourists raises concerns for their viability.

UK Government opts out of Creative Europe

02 Mar 2020

The UK will not seek to stay in the programme next year or commit to funding any alternatives to the chagrin of the Scottish Government.

‘It has truly shaped me’: Sergey Smbatyan – Job Ladder

05 Feb 2020

The founder of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra on why he wants to inspire others with the “profundity” of clasical music.

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