Monday, 12 February 2024
Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) has voted to continue supporting the redevelopment of Ipswich Museum after a £2.7m overspend.
The museum closed in October 2022 for renovations and expansion, initially budgeted at £8.7m, half of which was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF).
Now with an estimated cost of £11.4m, after rising inflation and supply chain issues, IBC voted on 6 February... read more
Monday, 12 February 2024
The Chief Executive of the Royal & Derngate in Northampton has said the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) that forced the building to close for a month in September is less of a problem than initially feared.
The theatre reopened to audiences in October and is operating at full capacity despite parts of the foyer being closed.
Chief Executive Jo Gordon said: "The... read more
Monday, 12 February 2024
Musicians from London Chamber Orchestra (LCO) walked out of a rehearsal on 7 February ahead of a performance in protest over unpaid wages.
Around half the players, who are all freelance, took action after voicing objections to five months of overdue payments, according to a report in The Observer. A subsequent performance by LCO at Cadogan Hall went ahead after other musicians were brought in to... read more
The Observor (Musicians walk out after London orchestra leaves them unpaid for months)
Thursday, 08 February 2024
A West End theatre has cancelled a speaking event to be hosted by journalist Douglas Murray called 'Standing with Israel' following claims that staff refused to work after receiving outside pressure.
The event was due to be held at the Apollo Theatre on 4 February to raise scholarship and support funds for student members of the Israel Defense Forces' military reserve force.
Less than five hours... read more
Wednesday, 07 February 2024
Last summer’s Manchester International Festival (MIF23) attracted more than 325,000 visitors to the city, according to a new report.
The report, by Manchester City Council’s Economy and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee, found the amount of money spent by attendees at the ninth edition of the biennial festival totaled £39.2m.
Almost half (47%) of visits to MIF23 were by first-timers to the... read more
Wednesday, 07 February 2024
Collective management organisation PPL paid out £279.6m to 165,000 performers and recording rights holders in 2023.
This marks an increase of £34.9m (14.3%) on the previous year and is the highest annual total ever paid out in PPL’s 90-year history.
The £279.6m includes a payment of £7.7m by VPL, PPL’s sister company, which licences music videos when they are played in public or broadcast on TV.... read more
Tuesday, 06 February 2024
Funding has been set aside by Stockport Council to cover repairs at the Forum Theatre in Romiley, Stockport, which has been closed since September due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
The Manchester Evening News reports that the Liberal Democrat-led council will provide £300,000 for the works so the theatre can reopen.
Frankie Singleton, Stockport Council's... read more
Stockport's Forum Theatre will reopen after months-long RAAC closure (Manchester Evening News)
Tuesday, 06 February 2024
Rural touring company Pentabus has annouced it is moving to new premises at the recently refurbished Ludlow Assembly Rooms.
Having spent the past 40 years on the farm estate at the Old School in Bromfield, Pentabus said the move will make the organisation more accessible to artists and audiences, adding that it will work alongside the Assembly Rooms team to ensure a thriving creative community in... read more
Tuesday, 06 February 2024
The UK government has delayed guidelines outlining rules on the training of AI models with copyrighted materials.
The delay follows talks between the UK Intellectual Property Office, representatives from AI companies and arts and news organisations, which were arranged to produce a code for the use of AI data and text mining, including the use of work copyrighted by creators.
The group failed to... read more
UK’s proposed AI copyright code delayed (Verdict)
Tuesday, 06 February 2024
UK Music is calling on Education Secretary Gillian Keegan to halt “damaging” plans to withdraw funding for post-16 music qualifications.
Government has proposed reforms that would defund the current suite of vocational Level 3 qualifications for music by 2026.
Level 3 qualifications in music are aimed at giving 16- to 19-year-olds skills and knowledge to progress to other training, study and... read more
Tuesday, 06 February 2024
The Guildhall Trust has taken over ownership of White Rock Theatre in Hastings.
Built in 1927, the 1,000 capacity theatre is one of the largest and most historic in Sussex.
The trust says it will work towards a five-year plan to develop the theatre’s studio into an performance and community space.
A trust spokesperson told the BBC: “We will be developing a five-year plan to identify how we want... read more
Monday, 05 February 2024
Touring theatre company Theatre Alibi is set to become an arts venue after opening a permanent base.
Prior to losing its Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio status, which equated to £241,597 of annual funding, the company developed touring plays from a base at Exeter’s Emmanuel Hall.
It now plans to use the hall as a child-centred arts venue, named The Centre for the Imagination for... read more
Monday, 05 February 2024
Music sector body LIVE has launched a survey to understand and identify changes required to improve the experience of freelancers working in the live music industry.
The Hidden Side of Freelancing will explore pay transparency and the personal experiences of freelancers at live music events.
It can be completed anonymously. The results will be assessed, then used in a publicly available report... read more
Monday, 05 February 2024
An art gallery in Great Yarmouth that opened three years ago has been put on the market after failing to cover running costs once its grant funding ran out.
The Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust (GYPT), which owns the Yare Gallery, said that rising costs of wages, utility bills, maintenance and insurance led to the gallery's closure last year after its grant funding from the National Lottery... read more
Yare Gallery in Great Yarmouth has gone up for sale (Eastern Daily Press)
Friday, 02 February 2024
Council spending on cultural services fell by 43% between 2010-11 and 2022-23 in real terms, according to analysis by The Guardian.
During that period, the figures show a decline in local authority investment in all areas except social care, with cuts of 40% for roads and transport, 35% for housing and 33% for planning and development.
The analysis follows an announcement from the government of a... read more