White-led Chinese art gallery vows to change

09 Sep 2021

A lack of leadership, engagement and morale has caused an exodus of staff and reputational crisis - but the centre's position is "redeemable".

Open letter ‘stands in solidarity’ with Frankcom

06 Sep 2021

An open letter to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) board says it "stands in solidarity" with its ex-Director Sarah Frankcom following her resignation in August.

More than 100 signatories shared their disappointment. They said their trust in the board has been damaged and that Franckom has not "been supported as she should have been".

The letter alleges a lack of accountability in the ongoing investigation into Frankcom's leadership.

It says interviews with internal staff have begun "without an adequate, transparent record of minutes" and alleges Chairman Shaun Woodward has called up staff off record.

At the time of publication, the letter had been co-signed by 24 of LAMDA’s permanent staff, 43 of its freelance practitioners, associate artists and visiting directors and 33 industry professionals. 

LAMDA, which is conducting an inquiry into claims against Franckom, declined to comment.

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.

Southbank Sinfonia merges with St John's Smith Square

07 Apr 2021

The partnership will afford more stability to both organisations as they aim to create "one of the most accessible and creative venues in the country".

'We are sorry': charity admits history of racism in arts activities

15 Dec 2020

Westway Trust says it "has been, and remains, institutionally racist" following decades of allegations.

Planning in a time of radical uncertainty

Electric sign on a wall with 2 arrows pointing in different directions
25 Nov 2020

In these uncertain times, it’s important to return to our core principles: making the most of the information we have and not being afraid to experiment, explains David Reece.

Royal Academy of Music students 'feared speaking out' about sexual harassment

24 Nov 2020

A review highlighting shoddy employment practices and a lack of pastoral support doesn't go far enough to change the conservatoire's culture, critics say.

2023 Borough of Culture to go ahead despite council's financial woes

19 Nov 2020

Croydon is still developing the cultural showcase despite an order against non-essential spending, a review over alleged financial mismanagement, and a £67m deficit.

Resilience: the responsibility of the system, not the people

Emma Janye Park leaning on a window
06 Oct 2020

An ongoing and unspoken sense of crisis has driven those working in the performing arts to accept an intolerable range of behaviours as the norm. Emma Jayne Park questions the underlying structures supporting a system that requires endless resilience simply to survive.

Brexit: Is the Internal Market Bill a 'soft power grab'?

18 Sep 2020

Campaigners warn that devolved nations' cultural policy is at risk amid rumours Creative Europe will be transferred to the Foreign Office.

Time to challenge the hierarchies

Rampak Genteng
10 Sep 2020

With the creativity of communities finally becoming a policy priority, arts organisations could be handing more control over to their communities. Adam Pushkin explains why – and how – that could work.

Making progress: towards a citizen-led future

Lesley Cherry’s work replaced a contentious paramilitary mural under the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Re-imaging Communities Fund
10 Sep 2020

Cultural democracy is not in the gift of most cultural institutions, but that doesn’t mean there’s no role for them, says Anne Torreggiani.

The battle lines are drawn

We Can Do Better Protest Sign Cardboard
09 Sep 2020

Power has always resided in the hands of the few and in this moment of crisis it is time to fundamentally change the rules of the game to achieve cultural democracy, says Kully Thiarai.

Let the people decide

Local musicians/performers at the 2019 Whitley Bay Carnival
09 Sep 2020

What happens when you put communities in charge of their own creative projects? Ryan Herman found out how residents, rather than local politicians, are making their communities better places to live.

Community: the beating heart of a new arts landscape

Image of a shop front with a sale banner and promotional theatre performance poster
09 Sep 2020

Could an Ambassadors Scheme offer a way of better connecting theatres with their local communities? Hardish Virk has seen positive results in South Asian communities.

'Heritage is more than Downton Abbey': RSA and British Council call for 'radical' shake-up of sector

07 Aug 2020

Heritage can grow the UK's post-Covid economy - but only if it starts "telling the stories of more diverse parts of Britain".

Reluctance to ‘make the ask’ holds back fundraising success, report finds

07 Aug 2020

Without financial support, small organisations will make little progress in diversifying their income streams as they lack the resources to develop fundraising strategies.

Welsh Culture and Race Taskforce launched

06 Jul 2020

The collective seeks to influence decision makers and put race at the forefront of the sector’s recovery, but the Arts Council of Wales says it won’t fund a group ‘set up to lobby us’.

Why hitting diversity targets won’t make your organisation inclusive

An ethnically diverse group of young people gathered around a table
09 Apr 2020

Inclusion means ensuring workers can fulfil their potential, regardless of their background, identity or circumstance. Is now the time to re-think your organisation’s culture, asks Sara Whybrew.

How we can stop infantilising disabled artists?

A photo of a performance including an actor in a wheelchair
31 Mar 2020

Age-old paternalistic attitudes will persist unless disabled people lead change themselves, says Vici Wreford-Sinnott.

Pages

Subscribe to Governance