New funding landscape for the arts

East London youth dance company
30 Nov 2023

Impact investment is an ideal partner for the arts sector where taking creative risks, experimentation and imagination are second nature, writes Fran Sanderson

Trip Advisor analysis ranks London first for culture

11 Mar 2024

A tour operator company has ranked London the best city in the world for museums and galleries.

Audley Travel’s analysis revealed which cities have the highest number of five-star rated museums and galleries on Trip Advisor.

There are over 170 museums and galleries in London, enough to visit a new one every week for over three years, and 97 have a five-star rating on Trip Advisor.

London outranked Prague for top position, with Paris, Istanbul and New York rounding out the top five.

Jacqui Kaliouby, a UK specialist at Audley Travel, said London’s museums and galleries are “constantly changing with fresh exhibitions, new talks and innovative interactive experiences”.

She added that many of the city’s biggest and most renowned museums being free and easy to access helps strengthen its position.

Regenerating post-pandemic partnerships with China

11 Mar 2024

It's more than a year since China reopened its borders following the pandemic with the promise of reviving its international arts scene. Alex Lalak explores what this means for UK arts organisations looking to re-forge their links.  

Home Office overturns visa refusal for Afghan Youth Orchestra

05 Mar 2024

The Afghan Youth Orchestra’s four-date tour in England will go ahead after the Home Office u-turned on a decision to reject the ensemble’s visa application following public outcry.

Science Museum signs deal for new Saudi hub

The Science Museum, London, as seen from Exhibition Road
19 Feb 2024

Science Museum Group said it hopes the new Riyadh hub will help it collaborate with museum professionals, researchers and educators in Saudi Arabia.

British Museum mutes social media over moai statue campaign

19 Feb 2024

The British Museum deactivated the responses on a social media post after being flooded with comments from Chileans demanding that the institution return two moai statues from Easter Island.

Comments of "return the moai" began to inundate the museum's social channels after Chilean social media influencer Mike Milfort, who has 7.5m followers on TikTok, encouraged his fans to spam the museum’s Instagram page.

The statues, which date from between 1400 and 1650 AD, were taken from the Chilean territory of Rapa Nui. They were given as gifts to Queen Victoria in 1869 by Commodore Richard Powell before being endowed to the British Museum.

The British Museum said it only deactivated comments on one post, shared in collaboration with a youth charity, as it welcomed debate but felt it had to be "balanced against the need for safeguarding considerations, especially where young people are concerned".

The museum added that it has "good and open relations" with colleagues in Rapa Nui, and there have been several visits from the community to London since 2018.

The moai campaign is the latest repatriation debate to hit the British Museum. In December, Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said Greece would not recognise the British Museum’s ownership of the Parthenon marbles, stating they “were stolen by [Lord] Elgin, abused, vandalised and sawed up to be in England”.

Medoni also said Greece “cannot accept either ownership, or possession, or jurisdiction [over the marbles] from the British Museum”.

Last week, the government confirmed that a law that would have allowed the restitution of artefacts on moral grounds would not apply to national museums and galleries.
 

DCMS Minister in Saudi Arabia for 'cultural collaboration' talks

A landscape view of AlUla in Saudi Arabia
01 Feb 2024

Official visit by Arts Minister Lord Parkinson follows deal between France's Pompidou Centre and Saudi Arabia on major culture project.

Rising popularity of arts degrees among Chinese students

21 Dec 2023

A report published by admissions service UCAS says UK universities should take advantage of rising interest in creative arts degrees among Chinese students.

In the last 10 years, Chinese students’ interest in creative arts and design subjects has more than doubled, going from 4% of UCAS acceptances in 2013 to 11% this year - making it the fourth most popular undergraduate subject for Chinese students.

Business has been the most popular degree subject among Chinese students for the past decade, but has fallen from making up 43% of undergraduate acceptances in 2013 to 26% in 2023.

China is the UK’s largest undergraduate global market, accounting for one in every four international acceptances via UCAS.

More Chinese students currently apply for degrees in the UK than students from Wales or Northern Ireland.

The UCAS report says that to remain competitive in the global market, higher institutions should proactively promote more subjects to Chinese students, such as the creative arts.

“The UK has a flourishing creative arts sector with world-leading TV and film, fashion, design and music industries so it’s encouraging to see growing numbers of Chinese students motivated to study in the UK due to the value of our vibrant arts and culture,” said Sander Kristel, UCAS Interim Chief Executive.

“This presents a significant opportunity for universities and colleges to promote the unique offering of our creative courses.”

Cultural rights are the cornerstone of equitable arts access

13 Dec 2023

When did the idea of cultural rights emerge? And how is it being put into practice? Nicholas Burman has been researching various schemes across Europe. 

Positive early findings for Ireland's basic arts income pilot

Creative team two woman working with computer in modern office
12 Dec 2023

Study finds artists receiving a weekly stipend of €325 were less likely to experience anxiety and depression.

UK arts councils distribute £320k for cultural exchange projects

27 Nov 2023

Dozens of UK art projects have been chosen to partner with national and international organisations in a second round of the Four Nations International Fund.

A total of 39 new projects will receive up to £7,500 from the fund’s budget of £320,000, including £28,000 allocated for access costs. 

Backed by Arts Council England, Arts Council Northern Ireland, Arts Council Wales / Wales Arts International and Creative Scotland, the fund is designed to support innovative models of international cultural exchange.

It is open to people working in the arts and creative industries in the UK who wish to collaborate with their counterparts elsewhere in the world.

This round of the fund brings together 60 partners from across the four UK nations and 50 international partners across 25 different countries.

Creative Scotland manages the fund’s application process of the UK's arts councils and agencies. On the partnership’s behalf, Dana MacLeod, Executive Director of Arts, Communities and Inclusion at Creative Scotland, said: “This second round of the Four Nations International Fund has made possible some new and exciting initiatives for artists in the UK and around the world to connect, exchange and collaborate. 

“The 39 projects demonstrate a strong diversity of cultures, practice, and perspectives, highlighting the positive effect arts and culture can have on communities globally.

"Coming together as agencies and funders to share resources and knowledge enables a much broader reach and impact for our artists and audiences.  We can also tackle important issues and challenges facing artists and practitioners around the world.” 
 

Manchester to host international music convention

09 Oct 2023

Manchester has successfully bid to host the global music scene’s biggest conference, WOMEX, next October.

The music convention is billed as the most international and culturally diverse music meeting in the world and takes places in a different European city each year.

The event, which features a trade fair, talks, films and showcase concerts, opens to music industry delegates during the day and to the public for night-time ticketed events.

It is expected to attract over 2,600 music professionals and performing artists from around 90 different countries when Manchester hosts the event’s 30th anniversary from 23-27 October 2024.

The successful bid was led by the city council alongside local industry partners. Estimates suggest the convention will provide a direct economic boost to Manchester and the city region of around £3m.

Leader of Manchester City Council, Bev Craig, said the figures “speak for themselves in terms of the economic impact that hosting WOMEX 2024 on behalf of the UK will have”.

“But this isn't just about the numbers. Just as important will be the real opportunities it will give our musicians and other professionals working in the music industry to network and do business on their own doorstep with their peers from around the globe.”

WOMEX 2024 has received a £300,000 grant from Arts Council England and will also receive support from British Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Manchester City Council. 

Museums in Oxford return ancestral Aboriginal remains

05 Oct 2023

A handover ceremony has taken place to mark the repatriation of ancestral remains from two museums in Oxford to Aboriginal communities in Australia.

The Museum's Association reports that the Pitt Rivers Museum and Oxford University Museum of Natural History are returning the remains of 11 Aboriginal ancestors.

The return is part of an agreement between the museums and the Australian Government to repatriate 30 ancestors in total.

Laura Van Broekhoven, director of the Pitt Rivers Museum, said: “For the Pitt Rivers Museum, ceremonies like these introduce new chapters in our history as a museum. 

"We want to thank Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders for their leadership in this process; we are pleased that the ancestors are finally able to return home. We are grateful to join this Indigenous-led process that works towards healing.”

New approach to city metrics

Image of Lisbon
04 Oct 2023

A new index offers expert insights into the cultural resources of more than 500 cities worldwide, making it the only creative city index with global reach, writes David Adam

Re-thinking artist residencies

Attendees at the 2023 Res Artis conference
03 Oct 2023

What are artist residencies and what part could they play in nurturing inclusive and sustainable creative practice? A recent conference hosted by Acme addressed these questions, as Jon Opie reports. 

EXCLUSIVE: ACE endorses 2,600 visas for 'outstanding' talent

11 Sep 2023

Arts Council England has endorsed 2,600 applications for the Global Talent visa scheme since it was created in 2011, with record numbers now being given the green light for a final Home Office decision.

Museum returns Aboriginal artefacts

05 Sep 2023

Manchester Museum has announced a large-scale repatriation of artefacts from its collection.

The programme will see 174 cultural heritage items from its collection returned to the Aboriginal Anindilyakwa community of Australia’s Northern Territory.

Three women from the Aboriginal Anindilyakwa community have travelled to Manchester to receive the articles. Manchester Museum hopes that the repatriation process will help Anindilyakwa descendants connect with their heritage.

The artefacts include boomerangs, Ajamurnda (bark baskets), Enungkuwa (fishing spears), Errumungkwa (armbands), and a group of dolls made from shells.

Fund for disabled artists worth £600,000 opens

04 Sep 2023

Disabled artists will be able to apply for a share of £600,000 to bring their ideas to life.

A total of 14 awards will be made to disabled artists in England, Scotland and Wales to develop and present work across the country or internationally through Unlimited's UK and international open awards.

Cat Sheridan, Senior Producer at Unlimited, said the organisation is keen for applications for radical, ambitious and original ideas across a whole range of artforms, sizes and scales. 

"We can't wait to discover what wonderful work this investment will support,” she said.  

Pete Massey, Director North at Arts Council England, said: “Unlimited are changing the perception of disability and challenging the cultural sector by commissioning disabled artists, while also supporting people in all communities to express themselves creatively and experience arts and culture. 

"I’m delighted that we are funding them as a National Portfolio Organisation and look forward to seeing the extraordinary work these awards will support.” 

The deadline for applications is midday Monday 2 October.

NPO revenue from international activity halves

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performing at Carnegie Hall in New York
08 Aug 2023

Arts Council England study finds international environment has become "increasingly complex" for English cultural organisations and practitioners to navigate.

Lifeline for touring artists as US suspends visa price hike

Stock photo of cheering audience at rock music concert. Audience are in front of bright stage lights and smoke.
26 Jul 2023

Music industry bodies react to the decision to delay a rise in visa costs for touring artists with cautious optimism, but warn the reprieve may be temporary.

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