Andrew Miller, a National Council member for the arts councils of England and Wales, has been appointed to encourage greater inclusivity in the arts by the Government’s minister for disabled people, health and work.
45 international music festivals have signed up to the PRS Foundation’s Keychange programme, promising to balance their line-up of performers, conductors or commissions. Cheltenham Music Festival and Aldeburgh Festival and the BBC Proms are among those making the pledge.
Olivia Colman and Emma Thompson are among actors to have signed up to an initiative by campaign group ERA 50:50, calling for an equal gender split across theatre and broadcast content by 2020.
The Dublin theatre says publishing the report, which assessed accusations of inappropriate and aggressive behaviour by former Artistic Director Michael Colgan, would breach the guarantee of confidentiality given to participants in the inquiry. Colgan previously apologised for “misjudged behaviour”.
New research by Shadow Culture Secretary Tom Watson estimates spending fell by £1.08bn between 2009 and 2016/17, down to £2.17bn. In a speech today he is expected to warn the cuts combine with Brexit and declining National Lottery receipts to create a ‘triple whammy’ for arts organisations.
The national funder has announced a root and branch review of its funding processes following public outcry that led to it reversing cuts to five arts organisations.
New research by Arts Council England, produced to inform the Brexit negotiations, has highlighted the negative impact losing funding and free movement could have on the sector.
The National, the Almeida and the Young Vic are among theatres supporting Cameron Mackintosh’s plans to knock down the Ambassadors Theatre, leaving the façade and replacing the interior. Camden Council will discuss the proposals on Friday.
Charities, housing associations and hospitals across Scotland have been asked to host sculpture currently in storage as part of a new Creative Scotland scheme.
An open letter, signed by more than 350 Scottish arts leaders and artists, calls on Fiona Hyslop to work with a soon-to-be-formed ‘National Arts Forum’, which will represent the views of the sector. The letter follows chaos at Creative Scotland that saw the funder U-turn on planned funding cuts for five organisations.
Black Dog Publishing and sister company Artifice Books, which produce books on contemporary art and architecture respectively, have been sold to publisher St James’s House after going into voluntary liquidation in January. A list of “known clients of unfinished projects” circulated by a group of former Black Dog staff members includes public and private galleries in the UK and further afield.
A new report is heavily critical of the Mendoza Reivew, after identifying a gap between museum resources and the cost of acquiring art through auction.
Arts Council Chair Sir Nicholas Serota will lead a team of 17 creative industry leaders to research the role that ‘creative thinking’ should play within education policy.
The Southbank Centre announced it has “no future plans” to advertise in the Daily Mail, after the newspaper published a widely-criticised article about gay parents which has been branded ‘homophobic’. More than 8,000 people have signed an online petition urging the rest of the theatre sector to stop advertising in the newspaper.
Chief Executive of the festival, Shona McCarthy, issued a plea for help to support the cost of hiring venues and accommodation. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has been cut from Creative Scotland’s Regular Funding portfolio for 2018-21.
