News

Hopes that amateur choirs could start rehearsing indoors again from May 17 have been dashed.

New guidance for England permits non-professional performing arts activities indoors and outdoors, but limits gatherings to 30 people outdoors. Indoors, that limit falls to a group of up to six people or two households.

The Association of British Choral Directors is lobbing for the unexpected restrictions to be relaxed and clarity around why the limits are being extended. 

READ MORE: Confusion over ongoing ban on amateur performance

The Musicians’ Union is objecting on behalf of its members who work with amateur choirs. These include choir leaders who have paid to book venues for May and must now bear the brunt of cancellation costs. 

Research has revealed that singing presents no greater risk than many indoor sporting activities which face no such restriction on numbers. Phil Kear, MU Assistant General Secretary, said: “Organised amateur sport can go ahead with unlimited numbers indoors, subject to building capacity, and we are at a loss to understand why choirs have been singled out under the guidance at this time.”

A ministerial shake-up in the Scottish Government has handed the culture portfolio to new Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Angus Robertson.

As well as culture, his work will cover constitutional policy and coordinating European and wider external relations, including post-Brexit relations.

Formerly SNP Leader in the House of Commons, the pro-independence MSP lost his Westminster seat in 2017 but successfully contested Scotland’s Edinburgh Central constituency in the Scottish Parliament election earlier this month.

An interview with Huffpost revealed him to be a “huge heavy metal fan” who “likes nothing better than to bang out a few tunes on his electric guitar.”

Robertson replaces Fiona Hyslop, a longstanding voice in Scotland's cultural sector. Her knowledge of the culture brief dates back to 2009 when she became Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, making her the UK’s most experienced politician to work with the arts and cultural sector.

A multimillion-pound cost overrun on Fairfield Halls' refurbishment has left Croydon Council with a £69m bill.

The ill-fated project, budgeted at £30m and expected to take two years, was meant to be funded by development profits from a neighbouring site. That development has been cancelled.

READ MORE: 

• Warning signs at Fairfield Hall

• All change in Croydon 

Building work on the arts venue overran by a year, with total costs escalating to £69.3m and more expenditure ahead. The council says this either relates to work that was not fully specified in the contract, or work that is beyond the original scope of the refurbishment.

Consultants have been appointed to survey the building, review the contract documents, assess the works needed and estimate the likely costs.

Dawn Bowden has been appointed Wales' Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, replacing Lord Elis-Thomas.

A former unionist, Bowden has been the Welsh Labour candidate for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney since 2016, citing the constituency as her reason for entering politics at age 56.

Judging by her social media presence, Bowden may be more interested in the sport aspect of her role - many posts are about football. She has no known arts affiliations.

She said taking the oath to be a Welsh Government minister was "a proud moment indeed".

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden says the Government will consider insuring festivals if it is the "final barrier" to them going ahead.

It will step in under two conditions: restrictions on the industry are relaxed on June 21 as planned and commercial insurers remain reluctant to offer coverage.

Dowden said: "If it's the case that events still can't go ahead as planned because of the lack of insurance and a failure of the commercial insurance market, we stand ready to look at government intervention, exactly as we did for the film industry."

"It has to be the case first that we know, can something go ahead?... I don't think it's reasonable to expect the taxpayer to provide a full indemnity for these events if it's not possible for them to happen.

"It's a different proposition if they can happen but the only thing holding them back is the commercial market won't insure them because we're risk averse.

"I think it's better to get that clarity of exactly where the gap lies once things are open and then determine the extent to which government intervention is required."

The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has refused to intervene in a planning application by Derby City Council to demolish the 1970s Derby Assembly Rooms.

A fire in an adjacent car park seven years ago closed the Assembly Rooms, and it recently lost its listed status.

A decision to refurbish the building was abandoned when estimated costs escalated from £23m to £33.5m. The council plans to build a £43m, 3500-capacity performance venue in the Becketwell area of the city instead.

Its built environment team, Derby's Conservation Area Advisory Committee, the national Twentieth Century Society and several prominent architects were among those who opposed demolishing the brutalist building, and Historic England has serious concerns on heritage grounds.

Campaigners believe the “ready-made theatre” could be reopened for upwards of £25m.

A separate public campaign to accelerate the demolition of the “very ugly” building advocates replacing it "with something we can be proud of".

Sleaford’s National Centre for Craft & Design has merged with arts development agency artsNK.

The North Kesteven centre will reopen in a refurbished building under the new name The Hub.

An Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, The Hub will also be also home to Design-Nation, a portfolio network for designers and makers.

The £1.2m upgrade has created a new multi-use dance and conferencing studio, craft workshop, a cafe and bar and new gallery space, alongside the centre’s main gallery and shop.

It was renamed in responde to local feedback, reflecting the organisation’s commitment to being a cultural hub for its community as well as a national centre for craft and design.