National Plan for Music education revived with expert panel

12 Aug 2021

DfE has resurrected the long-delayed plan as industry and researchers warn music A-levels could disappear from some regions by 2033.

UK to create arts access card for disabled audiences

two girls playing the Cello
04 Aug 2021

The free card will enable “seamless, barrier-free” booking to boost audiences’ confidence to return to live events, building on a model already used by 38,000 people.

ACE access support costs £1m during pandemic

03 Aug 2021

There's no word on a long overdue upgrade to Grantium - the reason for most requests. Those providing access support say the system must change.

New guide to ’break down stigma’ for autistic creatives

actor JJ Green performing at The National Theatre
26 Jul 2021

Autistic people face the highest rate of unemployment of all disabled groups in the UK. A new guide aims to change conversations surrounding autism in the performance industry.

Why funders must pledge to fund equitably

13 Jul 2021

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 and culture needs its Euro 2020 moment

three ballet dancers performing on stage
13 Jul 2021

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.  

On the tightropes

book cover for tactics for the tightrope
13 Jul 2021

How can we build a fairer cultural sector that works for artists, organisations, and communities? Mark Robinson explores some tactics for the tightrope act of shared culture.

Masking for a friend

09 Jul 2021

Arts venues might lose out by mandating masks and other Covid-19 mitigations but it's the only socially responsible option.

City of London launches review into racism at Barbican Centre

09 Jul 2021

The centre's funder has stepped in after former and current staff called it "institutionally racist" and lobbied for managers to resign.

Opening up the talent pipeline

Promotional image for the Deutsche Bank Award for Creative Entrepreneurs
06 Jul 2021

A group of young creatives have been selected as Creative Entrepreneurs for 2021 on the basis of their potential. Marina Norris looks at a programme aimed at building the opportunities and skills of young people.

Who can dance?

Promotional poster for the National Youth Dance Festival 2021
06 Jul 2021

As the U.Dance National Festival returns in an online format this month, Cameron Ball shares how the event connects the nation’s young dancers with the best in the industry.

Barbican Centre workers call for change to 'inherently racist' management

24 Jun 2021

Sir Nicholas Kenyon has resigned as Managing Director two weeks after current and former staff went public about their experiences.

Choosing care over censorship

24 Jun 2021

The Jess de Wahls controversy has highlighted how tenuous arts organisations' solidarity with transgender people can be. 

Voices from prison

photo of a woman writing
22 Jun 2021

Erin Gavaghan reflects on how the lives of women with experience of the criminal justice system can be profoundly changed by theatre.

WOW goes virtual

photo of Jude Kelly speaking at Women of the World
22 Jun 2021

Jude Kelly shares how a group dedicated to the experience of live congregational events transformed into techies in a two-month turnaround.

State funding for BAME entrepreneurs

graphic of watering can watering a plant
16 Jun 2021

Can using public money to make BAME* entrepreneurs successful be in the public interest if it makes them wealthy too? Kevin Osborne sets out the challenge.

Music tutors leading change through critical reflection

A group of tutors in a meeting
16 Jun 2021

To become genuinely inclusive, organisations need to find space to talk. Michael Davidson runs a music education programme where lived experience has been a catalyst for organisational change.

Countering the narratives

MFest logo
09 Jun 2021

Muslim communities are regularly assailed by poor generalisations and by impoverished stories written by ‘someone else’, which are not just mediocre but harmful, writes Raheel Mohammed.

'Black square' arts organisations follow through on diversity vows

04 Jun 2021

Many of the UK's highest-funded arts organisations promised change after George Floyd's death. While governance and programming has evolved, change in the ethnic diversity of their workforces is slow.

Venues pledge to only cast trans actors for trans roles

04 Jun 2021

The movement is part of a sea change in representation in theatre: "It's comparable to non-disabled people playing disabled characters, or even white people putting on blackface."

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