What do we mean by a systemic conversation?

image of jigsaw pieces
20 Jul 2021
Feature

Building on Culture Reset, Richard Watts shares a range of new initiatives aimed at supporting the cultural sector to change and develop to meet the urgent demands for inclusion, improved governance and more dispersed models of leadership.

Management
Cross artform
Leadership
Regeneration

Little moments of joy

Projection on cargo truck
09 Jun 2021
Feature

While audiences are most comfortable returning to outdoor events, organising a festival that can flex around ever-changing restrictions is still no mean feat. Penny Mills and Jonathan Goodacre have been looking at what’s working.

Festivals
Outdoor arts
Covid-19
Coronavirus

Engaging young wealthy donors: heartstrings before purse strings

02 Jun 2021
Feature

Recent research provides insights to building lifetime relationships with the funders of the future. Lisa Rose outlines the main findings.

Audience development
Fundraising
Research

Towards an anti-racist arts industry

26 May 2021
Feature

What does it mean to be Black in the arts industry today? Marking the one-year anniversary of the death of George Floyd, Gabrielle Brooks shares why she founded BlackStage UK.

Diversity
Equality

Coventry 2021: City of Culture is open for business

Coventry city of culture shop
19 May 2021
Feature

Despite all the difficulties of the past year, Jake Bartle and Emily Coleman are confident that this year’s festival will be a celebration of artistic achievement and are welcoming visitors with open arms.

Festivals
Covid-19
Coronavirus

Time to challenge the hierarchies

Rampak Genteng
10 Sep 2020
Feature

With the creativity of communities finally becoming a policy priority, arts organisations could be handing more control over to their communities. Adam Pushkin explains why – and how – that could work.

Governance
International
Diversity
Leadership

Arts and health: think big and embrace the opportunities

Drummers on stage following behind a woman in a huge twirling skirt
22 Jul 2020
Feature

A substantial new income stream for the arts sector can go hand in hand with significant savings to the health budget, says Tim Joss. But first we need to move beyond some widespread assumptions that are holding back progress.

Participatory arts
Health and wellbeing
Covid-19
Coronavirus

No community spaces? No community arts

Four people standing on stage in front of a sign saying 'Save Granville'
22 Apr 2020
Feature

Community arts organisations are at the heart of the response to the Covid-19 crisis, but their spaces are threatened by arguments that focus on the economic value of the arts. It’s time we started measuring social value, says Zain Dada.

Participatory arts

Stay well, supported and creative: our new microsite for Covid-19 updates

Statue with face mask
19 Mar 2020
Feature

In uncertain times, ArtsProfessional will be providing regular updates on projects and resources to support wellbeing, careers and creativity in the arts.

Participatory arts
Digital
Engagement
Health and wellbeing

Free to speak? Not if you work in the arts

A photo of statues of angels, one with a gag over its mouth
20 Feb 2020
Feature

As ArtsProfessional unveils the explosive findings from its recent Freedom of Expression survey, Liz Hill examines the soul of a sector that believes it is owed artistic freedom but doesn’t tolerate freedom of speech within its own ranks.

Governance
Management
Policy
Arts funding
Data
Equality
Leadership

Head to head: can a toolkit solve the sector’s class problem?

14 Nov 2019
Feature

This year Jerwood Arts published a toolkit for cultural organisations, designed to encourage greater socio-economic diversity in the arts. Julie Lomax, Chief Executive of a-n The Artists Information Company, sees it as a starting point for helping solve the sector’s ‘class crisis’ – but arts consultant Chrissie Tiller isn’t so sure.

Access
Audience development
Participatory arts
Human resources
Policy
Arts funding
Diversity
Equality

Life in the arts across Europe

Photo of woman standing by tree stump in snow
27 Mar 2018
Feature

Artists from across Europe describe what it’s like to work in their country of origin – from the almost desperate situation for some freelance artists in Spain to the generous support on offer in Arctic Norway.

Europe
Arts funding
Supporting artists

Being an international in the creative sector

Photo of Concorde
12 Feb 2018
Feature

Julie Bécaud, now a researcher at the Scottish Maritime Museum, explains her first steps into the arts in the UK.

Audience development
Marketing
Museums and heritage

Reflections on fundraising in the time of Covid-19

image of the Roundhouse Theatre
20 Jul 2021
Feature

The last 18 months have seen arts fundraisers face numerous challenges in trying to bring in income when the sector has been in such flux, says Michelle Wright.

Fundraising
Research
Arts funding
Covid-19
Coronavirus

The future of festivals with 5G

photo taken inside Brighton Dome during 5G festival
20 Jul 2021
Feature

Brighton Dome has been participating in 5G Festival trials to test new technology that could revolutionise the festival experience. Donna Close shares the findings. 

Digital
Festivals
Music

Reflecting on renewal and recovery

visitors attending Withworth Art Gallery
13 Jul 2021
Feature

Ben Walmsley, Abigail Gilmore and Dave O’Brien share the latest findings from a research programme examining the impacts of the pandemic.

Policy
Research
Covid-19
Coronavirus

Why funders must pledge to fund equitably

13 Jul 2021
Feature

Covid, the murder of George Floyd and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement all led to an outpouring of statements committing to action on racial inequality in arts funding. Kevin Osborne’s initial optimism about that has since been tempered. 

Arts funding
Diversity
Equality

Arts and culture needs its Euro 2020 moment

three ballet dancers performing on stage
13 Jul 2021
Feature

Ethnically diverse creative leaders are experiencing a rise in racist abuse. Amanda Parker calls for government support to kick it out in the arts and cultural sector.  

Cross artform
Diversity
Equality

Forging a new partnership

Garden Museum welcomes visitors back in August 2020
13 Jul 2021
Feature

The museum and heritage sector has always been collaborative. But, says Carolyn Young, the need for supporting each other to build resilience is now greater than ever.

Access
Museums and heritage
Collaboration
Covid-19
Coronavirus

Writing for health

using a computer on a sofa
13 Jul 2021
Feature

It's widely agreed that arts and creativity can boost mental health and wellbeing. But less well known is the positive effect that writing can have, says Christina Bunce. 

Participatory arts
Engagement
Literature
Health and wellbeing

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