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A joint statement by eight of the ten board members at the Arts Council of Northern Island says a recent claim by Chair John Edmund that arts groups are too dependent on grant aid “did not reflect any discussion or position which had been agreed by the Arts Council Board”.

Following a decision to reduce opening times at six of Edinburgh’s museums and galleries to just five days a week, visitor numbers have fallen by 21%, and retail and donation income is down 25%. Responding to the figures, Labour councillor Donald Wilson said: “We need to do something else”.

Parliament’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee will build on work paused in the run up to the 2017 General Election, looking at ticket re-selling, music tourism and the impact of Brexit.

£4m a year in lottery funding has been allocated to the Film Audience Network until 2022, and boundaries have been redrawn to align with Arts Council England’s regions. Some funding decisions and talent scouting have been devolved to lead organisations in the network, including HOME in Manchester and Bristol’s Watershed.

The theatre said Hull Playgoers’ Society could not stage a version of the BBC sitcom ‘Are You Being Served’ as it is “demeaning to women”.

Hertfordshire County Council has launched a consultation about its plans to sell or gift 1,600 pieces of ‘non-relevant’ work from its art collection. It hopes to raise £400k, which it will use to help conserve the remaining 167 artworks.

The City Council has confirmed council tax will rise by 1% to finance the 3,000-capacity venue, which will replace the fire-damaged Assembly Rooms that seated 1,500 people.