News

Planning permission has been requested for a major revamp at the West End venue that will see capacity reduced from 2,200 to 2,000, a new restaurant created, and the public areas restored to designs from 1812.

The Hatton Gallery will re-open next weekend after installing temperature and humidity controls, a new gallery entrance and new doors as part of a multi-million-pound revamp.

Researchers at University College London monitored twelve audience members during a West End musical, finding their hearts beat at 50% to 70% of the maximum rate for half an hour – equivalent to a professional tennis rally.

New foundations such as the Dundard Fund 2016, which has given £8m to Edinburgh International Festival and supported a new concert hall in the city, are part of a trend that saw funding allocated by UK foundations increase by 12% to £2.9bn last year.

The New York museum has pulled two videos and an installation featuring animals – artworks that have been shown before in Asia, Europe and America – from an exhibition of Chinese conceptual art, citing concerns for the safety of staff, visitors and artists.

Protests against the appointment of Chris Dercon, a former director of Tate Modern, as Director of the radical Volksbühne theatre reached a climax on Friday when art collective ‘Dust to Glitter’ moved into the auditorium. Since his appointment was announced in 2015, Dercon – who took up the reins last month – has been harassed on social media, a petition has been started against him and faeces were left in front of his office. Responding to the current occupation, Dercon labelled the protestors “irresponsible” and said they had “put their concerns above the safety of our employees and their own audience”.